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About this item

• PERFORMANCE: The iRobot Roomba i3 plus (3550) Wi-Fi Connected Robot Vacuum pulls in stubborn dirt with a Premium 3-Stage Cleaning System and 10X the Power-Lifting Suction. Control how you clean with the iRobot Home app or your voice assistant
• AUTOMATIC DIRT DISPOSAL: Forget about vacuuming for months at a time with the Clean Base Automatic Dirt Disposal that allows the i3 plus to empty itself for up to 60 days.
• APP: The newly updated iRobot Home App allows you to upgrade your overall cleaning experience. Enjoy features that work around your life, including personalized scheduling suggestions and seasonal recommendations, all tailored to your unique needs
• VOICE ASSISTANCE: The Robot Vacuum learns your cleaning habits to offer up personalized schedules, while Google Assistant and Alexa allow you to start cleaning with just the sound of your voice. The i3 will even suggest an extra clean when your area’s pollen count is high or during pet shedding season
• TECHNOLOGY: Patented Dirt Detect Technology helps your robot find the dirtier areas in your home, like high-traffic spots, and cleans them more thoroughly

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From the manufacturer, now smarter than ever, clean the rooms you want when you want with imprint smart mapping..

With a new mapping update, the Roomba i3+ EVO robot vacuum can learn and map your home room-by-room for a cleaning experience that fits your life.

iRobot Roomba i3+ EVO Features

Learns Where & When to Clean

Cleans the rooms you want, when you want—guided by Imprint Smart Mapping.

Powers Through Cleaning

Pulls in stubborn messes with a Premium 3-Stage Cleaning System and 10x the Power-Lifting Suction*.

Efficient—and Smart

Cleans in straight lines back and forth, navigating around furniture and obstacles.

Your Voice is Its Command​

Start cleaning one room or every room—through the iRobot Home App or by voice with Google Assistant and Alexa compatibility.

How Long Are We Talking Here?

Know how long cleaning jobs will take, whether it’s one room or the whole house—with time estimates in the iRobot Home App.

Now Taking Suggestions…​

Offers up scheduling suggestions based on your habits and the season.

Knows Where to Go

With Imprint Link Technology, the Roomba i3+ robot vacuum & Braava jet m6 robot mop team up to vacuum then mop automatically in perfect sequence.

Powered by iRobot OS

iRobot OS raises the bar - delivering an intuitive cleaning experience tailored to your needs and preferences.

Roomba i3+ EVO Robot Vacuum

Edge Sweeping Brush

Dual Multi-surface Rubber Brushes

Dirt Detect Sensors

Auto Adjust Cleaning Head

High-Efficiency Filter

Product information

Warranty & Support

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Videos for this product

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Is this robot vacuum worth it? My thoughts

Nic’s Corner

Roomba i3 EVO - Pros and Cons - Vacuum Wars!

Vacuum Wars Recommendations

iROBOT i3+ vs Shark Detect Pro Robovac - WHAT'S DIFFERENT?

The French Glow

Good PET HAIR vacuum?

Jacob Knowles

Customer Review: Helps me keep up with husky hair!

Watch this before buying iRobot Roomba i3+ Self-Emptying

✅I Review For You

iROBOT i3+ EVO - What's New? Different from i3+??

Review Of iRobot Roomba i3+ EVO

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Honest Review iRobot Roomba i3+ EVO (3550) Vacuum

Ashley Vickerman

See my iRobot Roomba in Action

✅ Review Lab

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Product description.

Now the Roomba i3 plus EVO robot vacuum is smarter than ever, learning and mapping your home room-by-room so it can clean the room you want, when you want—with 10x the Power-Lifting Suction* and Premium 3-Stage Cleaning System. Powered by iRobot Genius, it stays one step ahead of everyday messes, by learning your life and suggesting cleaning schedules—to clean when you’re out enjoying life. On-demand cleaning is only a command away, with Google Assistant and Alexa compatibility** that let you direct your robot to messes right when they happen. With Clean Base Automatic Dirt Disposal, Roomba will return itself to the base when the bin is full, automatically empty and resume cleaning, so you don’t have to think about emptying the bin for months at a time. (*Compared to the Roomba 600 series cleaning system).

Top Brand: iRobot

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iRobot Roomba i3 Plus review

Hands-off vacuuming but it comes at a price.

TechRadar Verdict

The iRobot Roomba i3 Plus is a robot vacuum that takes care of itself – almost. It automatically empties dirt from the vacuum into bags in the charging dock. It’ll take itself to the charger when the battery runs low and you can schedule cleaning for set times, so there’s very little you’ll need to do from week to week. But it’s expensive, the charging dock is bulky and you’re committed to paying for expensive bags regularly.

Automatic dirt emptying

Scheduled cleaning

Bags keep dust, pollen and mold contained

Only one suction level

Dust bags are expensive

Dirt emptying is loud

Why you can trust TechRadar We spend hours testing every product or service we review, so you can be sure you’re buying the best. Find out more about how we test.

One-minute review

iRobot is a US-based robotics company that was founded in 1990 and launched the first Roomba robot vacuum in 2002. It’s one of the biggest manufacturers of robot vacuums and since launching has sold more than 30 million home robots worldwide. It utilizes 20 years of robot vacuum knowledge to create some of the best robot vacuums on the market.

The iRobot Roomba i3 Plus, which is currently discounted thanks to all the Roomba Black Friday deals , sits in the middle of the iRobot range, it’s neither the most nor the least expensive model available. We reviewed the iRobot Roomba i3 Plus which builds on the i3 with the addition of an automatic emptying function at a significantly higher price.

iRobot Roomba i3 Plus price and availability

Performance, battery life.

Should I buy? 

The Roomba i3 Plus offers most of the features you’d expect from a robot vacuum including an accompanying app that allows you to create cleaning schedules and adjust settings. Unfortunately, it doesn’t support iRobot’s Smart Map technology, so it can’t remember maps of your home which means there’s no option to select individual rooms or zones to clean. Instead, to create no-go zones, you’ll need to purchase what iRobot dubs virtual barriers. These 5.5-inch / 14cm blocks sit in your home and create, well, virtual barriers to areas you don’t want cleaner. 

The self-emptying ability is the big selling feature of the i3 Plus and it means there’s very little need to interact with the vacuum unless the dust bag needs replacing or the filter requires a clean, making it the ideal choice if you want to forget about the vacuuming completely. Automatic dirt disposal utilizes the charging dock to store a dust bag, this means that not only are you committed to buying replacement bags on a regular basis but also that the dock itself is much bulkier than a standard charging base.

In terms of performance, pick up is good and for the most part, it does clean in a logical pattern, but it’s not uncommon for it to miss spots, so it works best when used regularly. The higher price seems a lot to pay just to avoid emptying the dust container regularly. But that said, the bags use four layers of allergen blocking material to trap 99% of pollen and mold so it’s ideal if you’ve got allergies.

•  List price: $599.99/ £699.99/ AU$1399 

The iRobot Roomba i3 Plus is priced at $599.99/ £699.99/ AU$1399 and is available worldwide from the iRobot website, or from online retailers including Amazon . This model is particularly pricey thanks to the self-emptying feature.

The iRobot Roomba i3 doesn’t come with the self-emptying station and is more affordable, costing $399.99/ £449.99/ AU$999.

The self-emptying feature requires dust bags which come in packs of three and are priced at $19.99/ £21.95/ AU$59 per pack. However, iRobot says the dust bag holds around 60 days' worth of debris. The virtual wall barriers, which allow you to create no-go zones for the vacuum, are priced at $99.99/ £69.99/ AU$125 for two. 

• Large charging dock
• Methodical cleaning pattern
• One suction level

The Roomba iRobot i3 Plus is a pretty standard size for a robot vacuum, measuring 3.6 x 13.3 x 13.3 inches/ 9.2 x 33.7 x 33.7cm (h x w x d). The height is low enough to fit under most low pieces of furniture without too much trouble. The charging dock however is another matter, it’s one of the bulkier docks we’ve seen and the tall height means you can’t tuck it under a piece of furniture to hide it out of sight. It measures 19 x 12.2 x 15.4 inches/ 48.3 x 31 x 39cm (h x w x d).  

 There are just three simple buttons on the top of the vacuum, the large central ‘clean’ button is used to start, pause, or resume cleaning when not using the app. There’s an LED that surrounds the button, which will illuminate red if there is an issue. Pressing the button prompts the robot to tell you what’s wrong.

 There’s a home button to send the vacuum back to the charging base, this can also be used to activate the dirt disposal process if the vacuum was manually placed onto the charger. Finally, the spot clean button tells the vacuum to spiral out from its current position to spot clean a specific area, it spirals out 3 feet/ 1 meter and then spirals back to where it started. Turn the vacuum over and you’ll find a rotating brush that sweeps debris from the edges of the room into the path of the dual multi-surface rubber brushes.

All other functions are available via the app, which allows you to schedule cleaning for regular days and times. You can also adjust how many times the vacuum passes over the floor which is useful in the absence of adjustable suction levels.

The vacuum is designed to navigate rooms purposefully in straight lines so that it cleans logically rather than randomly. At the end of cleaning it heads back to the dock and the automatic dirt disposal process removes the dirt collected in the vacuum and stores it in a bag inside the charging dock. 

The bag should last for up to 60 days of cleaning. When it’s time to change the bag out for a new one, just flip up the lid on top of the canister and remove the bag, it’ll self-seal to avoid creating any mess or dust clouds as it’s removed. Two bags and a replacement filter are provided in the box, the filter needs to be cleaned weekly and replaced every 2 months.

• Very quiet on carpet
• Doesn’t get all the dirt in corners
• Simple to operate

The Roomba i3 Plus has a limited number of settings so it’s easy to use. Overall pickup is good, but as with most robot vacuums, it can miss some larger debris such as oats when on hard floors, because the rotating brush occasionally flicks them across the floor instead of into the path of the vacuum. We also noticed that it didn’t collect all the debris from the corners of a room. Having said that though, it picked up the majority of the dirt and debris in its path and a quick check of the dust container showed it was collecting a lot of dust and fluff from carpets.

When we sprinkled flour over different parts of the floor it collected the majority of it. However, in some areas, it did leave flour in the grooves between the planks of wood flooring. When this happened we used the spot clean mode for a more thorough clean, but it didn’t remove all of the flour from the grooves.

It navigated both carpet and hard floors with ease and even managed to clean our long pile rug without getting stuck, it also successfully avoided falling down the stairs. The vacuum is designed with Reactive Sensor Technology which iRobot says helps it avoid getting stuck in places and despite having to navigate around several dining chairs as well as stools in our Kitchen, it managed not to get stuck.

During cleaning, our decibel meter registered a maximum of 68db, which is equivalent to sound experienced by background chatter in an office, which is acceptable. However the dirt emptying process is loud, it registered 84dB on our noise meter which is similar to a truck traveling down the road at 40mph. Thankfully the process only takes an average of 11 seconds. The dirt bags are easy to access and replace, and we like that they seal to avoid mess and dust clouds when removing.

While you don’t need to worry about emptying the dirt canister, the filter does require regular maintenance. To remove dust and ensure it’s not clogged it has to be removed and tapped into your trash on a weekly basis, it’s a quick process but one you should factor in if you’re looking for a completely hands-off experience. It’s also worth noting that it does create a bit of dust cloud so if you’ve got allergies it’s best to do this outside.

It effectively collected hair from carpets, which thankfully didn’t get tangled in the rubber brushes, but after one cleaning session on carpet, there was hair tangled around the rotating side brush.

When using the ‘clean everywhere’ option in the app, we experienced very hit-and-miss results. On some occasions, it did clean everywhere but on others, it missed large areas or even whole rooms. We had more success when using it in the timed mode, we used this mode but set it so that there was no time limit and it generally vacuumed everywhere, then returned to the charger when finished.

• Create scheduled cleaning
• Add time limits to cleaning
• Amend number of cleaning passes

The initial set-up was straightforward, and we didn’t have any issues connecting the Roomba to the app. It’s a simple app that’s easy to navigate and while it offers some useful options to customize cleaning, it’s limited in the number of functions available. Scheduled cleaning is very easy to set up for specific times and days, or you can ask it to perform a clean every time you leave the house.

The app allows you to select whether the vacuum performs a daily clean, where it covers the space once, or extra clean which will direct it to cover the space twice. The third option is room-size clean, in this setting it will cover larger spaces once and small-to-medium-sized rooms two to three times. Spot clean can’t be selected via the app and it’s not possible to create boundaries or no-go zones using the app either.

There aren’t too many other features in the app, other than checking history and amending some of the dirt emptying settings. It does also integrate with Google Home and Alexa for voice-activated vacuuming.

• Automatically returns to charger when battery low
• Battery level shown in app
• Full charge takes 2-3 hours

The iRobot i3 Plus will pause cleaning and return to the charging dock if the battery runs low during vacuuming, it’ll then resume cleaning where it left off. So there’s really no need to worry about battery life so long as it can get back to the charging dock.

When we did allow it to clean until the battery ran out, it lasted for around 1 hour 20 minutes, the battery then took just under two hours to fully recharge. The battery level is indicated in the app, which shows a battery graphic colored in green to indicate the level of charge.

Should I buy the iRobot Roomba i3 Plus?

Buy it if....

You want to completely outsource the vacuuming With scheduled cleaning via the app and a self-emptying dust canister, you won’t even need to think about this household chore from one week to the next, there’s just the occasional dustbag to be replaced.

You’ve got plenty of space The addition of the automatic emptying function means all the dust and debris is stored in the charging dock and as such it’s bulky and not ideal for small spaces.

You prefer dust to be contained in mess-free bags Emptying bagless vacuums can cause dust to fly back into the air which is particularly frustrating if you have allergies. And while you are committing to paying for replacement bags, they do keep the dust contained and offer mess-free emptying.

Don't buy it if..

You’re on a budget For $200/ £250/ AU$400 less you can buy the Roomba iRobot i3 which will give you all the same vacuuming functions excluding the automatic emptying. So if you’re happy to empty the dirt yourself, this is a significant saving.

You’re looking for a quiet option While the vacuum isn’t loud in use, the automatic emptying process is noisy. On the upside though, it doesn’t take too long.

You want a vacuum with different suction levels There’s no option to increase or decrease the suction level, but if your floor is particularly messy you can change the settings to ‘extra clean’ in the app so that it will cover the entire space twice.

First reviewed: December 2021

•  Check out there great robot vacuum deals  

Helen is a freelance writer who specializes in kitchen and home appliances, and has written for some of the biggest home-related titles around. She has been reviewing small appliances, including blenders, air fryers, and vacuums for more than 15 years. When she's not busy testing the latest food and home gadgets, she enjoys DIY and gardening.

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Roomba Comparison – What They Don’t Tell You

Updated: March 3, 2023.

It’s hard to pick the right Roomba when there are so many models.

This article will explain exactly what is different between each model to make your decision a little easier.

Quick Summary

This Roomba comparison is very in-depth. For those who don’t have the time to read the whole thing, here’s the quick comparison:

👉 If you are tight on budget and don’t mind random navigation and occasionally cleaning out trapped hair from the bristled rollers, get the Roomba 694 .

👉 If you want the most essential features but also want to save money: go with the Roomba i3 . It has brushless rollers (which makes maintenance painless), smart navigation, and select room cleaning.

👉 If you want a good balance of price and features: get the Roomba i7 . 👈   The i7 has brushless rollers, smart navigation, select room cleaning, and keep out zones. The Roomba i7+ is the auto-emptying version of the i7.

👉 If you have any pets, the Roomba j7 or Roomba j7+ is the way to go. In addition to all the features of the i7, it also has a front-facing camera for identifying obstacles. This means it can avoid driving into pet waste and making a mess over the whole house. 

👉 If you want a robot that vacuums and mops at the same time, get the Roomba Combo j7+ . It is essentially a j7 with the added capability of mopping.

👉 If you don’t mind spending money , the Roomba s9+ is the most premium robot vacuum here. It has the best corner cleaning performance out of all the Roombas on this list. It’s not recommended for pet owners though, because it lacks obstacle avoidance. It will, however, empty its own dust bin (and also your bank account).

Most of these robot vacuums come in a “plus” and “regular” version. When a model number has a “+” sign at the end, it means it comes with an auto-emptying docking station. For example, the j7+ is the auto-emptying version whereas the j7 is the exact same vacuum but without an auto-emptying home base.

• 1 Quick Summary
• 2 Comparison Table
• 3 Roomba 694
• 4 Roomba 675
• 5 Roomba e5
• 6 Roomba i3+
• 7 Roomba i7
• 8 Roomba i7+
• 9 Roomba j7+
• 10 Roomba Combo j7+
• 11 Roomba s9+
• 12 Frequently Asked Questions about Roombas
• 13 Which Roomba Model is Best for these Specific Situations?
• 14 Older Models (May Not be Available Anymore)
• 15 Conclusion

Comparison Table

The most basic of the Roomba lineup in 2022.

Let’s start with the cheapest Roomba in 2022, the Roomba 694. I will refer to just the 694 in this article, but keep in mind the Roomba 692 and 694 are identical vacuums.

Perhaps calling this the most basic Roomba is a bit of an insult to the 694. If we rewind a couple years, this would be one of the best robot vacuums money can buy.

If you don’t have pets or family members with long hair, or if you don’t mind occasionally cleaning out hair stuck in the vacuum, the Roomba 694 may be a good vacuum for you. But if you do have long hair or pets, I would skip this model because hair getting trapped in the brushes is the main drawback of the Roomba 694.

Other than that, it does everything a robot vacuum is expected to do, including the following.

It’s equipped with dirt-detect and drop sensors. The dirt detect sensor tells the robot to spend more time cleaning problematic areas. The drop sensor keeps the Roomba from careening off any ledges or stairs in your home. This means extra clean floors and no broken Roombas.

It is WiFi and app connected. Using the iRobot app, you can customize your cleaning preferences and set a schedule for it to clean while you are away from home.

It uses a “random” style navigation. To ensure complete coverage of your floor, the 694 uses a psuedo-random cleaning algorithm. This means that after the robot leaves its dock, it starts vacuuming in one direction, moving until it comes into contact with an obstacle. Then it turns itself away a random number of degrees, and moves in that new direction. This process is repeated until your house is cleaned. Although it sound chaotic, this “drunken sailor” approach to vacuuming actually results in pretty complete coverage of your living area.

Areas needing improvement

• Lacks smart navigation
• Tedious maintenance when hair inevitably gets stuck in rotating brushes

Bottom Line

• If budget is your only concern, pick up the 694. The 694 is the most affordable vacuum on this list.
• If budget is your main concern but you also care about ease of maintenance, skip this model and pick up a Roomba with brushless rollers instead.

Same as the Roomba 694

The Roomba 675 and 694 similar in almost every regard. The main difference is that the 675 has a built in handle while the 694 does not. For more details, read my Roomba 675 vs 692 comparison .

Basic Roomba equipped with brushless rollers.

How is the Roomba e5 Different from the 694? – Brushless rollers (matters more than you think)

In the world of vacuums, brush-less rollers are no doubt the best thing since sliced bread. I love this new design so much that I no longer recommend vacuums with traditional rolling brushes. The manufacturer calls them “tangle-free debris extractors”, but all that means is no more bristle brushes.

Instead, you get two rubber rollers with protruding “feet” that beat and vibrate the floor as the Roomba moves around. The vibrations shake the dirt off the floor and into the path of suction.

Compared to the bristles on the Roomba 694, rubber rollers give you an equally clean floor but much easier maintenance. If you’ve ever tried to pull hair  out of a traditional vacuum brush roller, you know how tedious the process can get.

With rubber rollers, hair rarely gets stuck in the Roomba e5. Even when they do, pulling out the hair is a trivial task. Just pop out  the rubber rollers, and  the stuck hair can be easily pulled out.

My wife has shoulder length hair, and so much of it ends up on our floors. The hair eventually ends up stuck on the brushes of our upright vacuum. If I don’t clean the hair out every so often, it would make this terrible burning smell–a combination of burnt hair and dust.

I hated cutting the hair out of the vacuum so much that I avoided vacuuming as much as I can, unless the carpet was starting to look gross or we were expecting a guest.

With the brushless Roombas, all the hair on the floor now ends up directly in the dust bin. We come home to a clean house and a dustbin full of hair and dust. Every time the Roomba vacuums, I look forward to seeing how much dust and hair it got this time.  It is  so satisfying to see all that hair and dust end up in the bin.

Navigation: The e5 navigates using a random pattern, just like the Roomba 694 above.

• No smart navigation
• Not able to recharge and resume

This is a basic Roomba equipped with brushless rollers. Although I love the anti-tangle brushrolls, the lack of smart navigation makes this Roomba stuck in a awkward position on this list. I would go either one tier below or above and skip the e5.

Smart navigation without a camera

This is when the Roomba lineup seriously steps up its game. The i3+falls in the middle of the pack in terms of specs. But in my opinion, this Roomba hits the sweet spot between price and features. This is a great robot vacuum for the price, and will last you many years.

How is the Roomba i3+ better than the e5? Smart navigation, recharge and resume, auto-emptying bin

Pro: smart navigation

Using the floor tracking sensors on the bottom of the machine, the Roomba i3+ is able to navigate your floorplan and vacuum it logically, like a human would. This is a huge step up from the “bump-and-turn” style navigation found in lower tier Roombas. Smart navigation covers your entire home much more efficiently.

Pro: recharge and resume

Recharge and resume is one of my favorite features of the modern Roomba lineup. When the Roomba i3+ detects that its batteries are running low, it will remember where it has already vacuumed, find its way back to the dock, and recharge itself. When it has enough juice to continue the job, the Roomba will return to that area and continue vacuuming your house until the whole house is completely cleaned. This feature basically renders battery life a non-issue, especially if you set the robot to clean while you’re not home.

Pro: auto-emptying bin

The i3+ comes with a auto-emptying home base. This is a large docking station with a disposable vacuum bag. When the Roomba i3+ finishes vacuuming, it will connect with the home base. The contents of the i3+’s dustbin are then suctioned into the docking station. This process is loud and actually quite startling the first couple times it happens.

• No keep out zones
• Can’t specify which rooms to clean
• Self-emptying process is very loud

This is the robot vacuum I would recommend for most households, it strikes the best balance of price and features. 

Advanced navigation without hefty price tag of i7+

How is the Roomba i7 Better Than the Roomba i3?

On the inside, the motor has been repositioned to take full advantage of the high powered suction with carpet boost . This allows it to pick up more debris.

The i7 models and above all use a camera to help it navigate. This gives it many advanced features. The robot will detect areas of your home that constantly need a deeper cleaning and pin those areas on its internal map . The i7 can now map and remember up to 10 different floor plans at the same time.

“Imprint Smart Mapping” is available. This means:

• You can label your rooms (kitchen, living room, bedroom, etc) and specify a cleaning on specific rooms only.
• You can use voice commands with Amazon/Google devices to say things like “Alexa, tell Roomba to clean the bedroom.” the robot will run off to clean just that room.

Areas Needing Improvement

• Not self-emptying (but can be upgraded)

If you have the budget for it, the i7 is hands down better than the i3 . The only downside is the price. It doesn’t come with the automatic dirt disposal but you can always buy that separately later if you change your mind and effectively turn the i7 into an i7+.

Upgraded Roomba i7 with the ability to empty itself when docked

How is the Roomba i7+ Better Than the Roomba i7?

Difference 1: the large docking station allows it to self-empty. The i7+ has a special charging station + automatic dirt disposal called the “Clean Base” that allows it to empty itself.

For every other Roomba on the market, the dock has not changed much–they are low profile and don’t take up much floor space.

For the i7+, the Clean Base automatically sucks everything out of the dust bin every time it docks.

The process is loud, though . You won’t be able to muffle it and will definitely know when it is being used.  If you’re a veteran Roomba owner, you know what the Roomba sounds like while it vacuums. The Clean Base is different, when the base turns on to suck the dirt out of the Roomba, it sounds like a full sized corded upright vacuum.

Granted, this noise only lasts a couple seconds. It is definitely noticeable though, even when you’re not in the same room. Unless you live in a mansion, you’ll be able to hear the robot empty itself no matter where you are in the house. This may be satisfying if you like to hear that your robot is indeed doing its job.

One thing we do have to give iRobot credit for is the design of the Clean Base, even though it looks HUGE, it doesn’t take up any more footprint than the Roomba itself. With the robot docked, the only additional space the Clean Base takes up is the 18.5 inches of “airspace” above the Roomba.

Difference 2: the dustbin is slightly different to accommodate self-emptying. While the size is the same as the i7, the i7+ bin has an opening with a rubber flap to allow the Clean Base to suck out the contents. The flap prevents the contents from escaping back to your floor. It is this seal that the Clean Base recognizes and begins suctioning out the contents.

Besides the above two differences, the robots themselves are identical . This means you can upgrade from the i7 to the i7+ if you change your mind later.

For this reason, I only recommend the i7+ if you absolutely hate emptying the dust bin. Although the i7+ is the best of the best, the i7 does everything just as well (minus the self-emptying). The price premium is quite high, and you can always upgrade later (but not downgrade)!

• The Clean Base is very loud.
• Using disposable vacuum bags seems like a step backwards in this day and age. Not to mention it’s an added cost. Perhaps an optional reusable large dust bin may help. It’s really not that much work to empty a dust bin.

For people who really hate emptying the dust bin and people with severe dust allergies, the Roomba i7+ makes sense. For everyone else, the i7 is a much cheaper option.

The Roomba j7+ is similar to the i7+, but w ith a new front-facing camera to avoid obstacles

How is the Roomba j7+ Better Than the Roomba i7+?

The j7+ ‘s biggest improvement over the i7+ is the presence of a front-facing camera. iRobot moved the camera from the top of the robot to the front.  This gives the j7+ the ability to see obstacles and navigate around them. The j7+ is capable of learning on the fly: when it comes across an object on the floor that it does not recognize, it will send you a picture via the iRobot app so you can decide what to do with it in the future.

If you have any pets that may accidentally leave unwanted “presents” for you on the floor, the j7+ (along with the non-auto-emptying j7) will be able to identify the pet waste and not drive itself into the mess like older robot vacuums would.

Another improvement over the i7+ is a much smaller docking station. The auto-emptying docking station is much smaller on the j7+, taking up significantly less vertical space. This gives you more flexibility in where you can place the home base. Note that although the home base is shorter, it holds the same amount dust as the home base of the  i7+. The two use the same replacement dust collection bags.

Bottom Line:

The j7+ is an improvement over the i7+ is every aspect. If you ask pet owners who’ve had their robot vacuum smear poop all over the house, I’m guessing they would recommend the j7+ over all other vacuums. If you have pets, go with the j7 or j7+.

Roomba Combo j7+

The Combo j7+ is the j7+ with the ability to also mop.

How is the Roomba Combo j7+ Better Than the Roomba j7+?

The Combo in the name refers to the fact that this Roomba is a combination robot vacuum and mop. While other robot vacuum makers have been making combo machines for many years, this is the first ever two-in-one robot from iRobot.

If you have a robot that just drags a mopping pad across the floor no matter where it goes, any carpet or area rug you have will get wet. This is the case with most two-in-one robots on the market do right now. (Although there are advanced models that retract their mops.)

The retracting mops are great for low-pile carpet, but will still get high pile carpet wet because the mop does not retract very much. iRobot came up with a completely different approach in the Combo j7+ and lifts the mop up onto the top of the unit, completely out of the way when carpet is detected.

In addition, the Combo j7+ has all the features of the j7+ like obstacle avoidance, intelligent navigation, select room cleaning, and keep out zones.

If you don’t enjoy mopping, or just don’t do it often enough, the Combo j7+ might be for you. The only downside is that you will have to manually clean the mopping pad yourself after each run and also refill the water tank when it’s empty.

• Need to manually clean the mopping pad and refill the water tank.

For those who need mopping, the Combo j7+ can make your life a little easier. 

Better corner cleaning and the most powerful suction. The best vacuum on the market.

How is the Roomba s9+ Better than the Roomba i7+?

Difference 1: the Roomba s9+ has better edge and corner cleaning due to its shape and wider brushroll. iRobot took a cue from competitor Neato and completely changed the look of the Roomba. The robot is now D shaped and the brushroll has been moved from the middle to the front of the robot. This design is much better for getting into corners and I’m glad iRobot finally converted to this superior “D” shape. As you can see, moving the rollers to the the front of the robot allows the rollers to be (30%) wider. This means more efficient cleaning because each pass covers more ground.

Difference 2: suction is stronger on the Roomba s9+ . The Roomba s9+ is able to pick up more embedded dirt from all surfaces better than the Roomba i7+ due to a stronger motor.

Difference 3: the navigation technology on the s9+ is more efficient . For some reason (most likely an improved navigation algorithm), the s9+ is more efficient when it comes to picking out the best cleaning path. While the i7+ is no slouch, the s9+ is faster than the i7+ in vacuuming the same exact room.

• Too expensive

This is the Roomba for you if money is no object. The technology and performance of this robot vacuum speaks for itself.

Frequently Asked Questions about Roombas

Which roomba is the best value.

For most people, the Roomba i3+  is the best value. It has the all of the essential features that make a robot vacuum great without breaking the bank. It strikes the best balance between price and features. These features are: powerful suction, ease of maintenance due to its brushless rollers, and the ability to navigate your house logically and efficiently.

Is it true that you can’t move a Roomba from one floor to another in a multi-story home because it only memorizes one floor?

In terms of mapping ability, there are 3 categories of Roombas. The Roombas in all 3 categories can be moved from one floor to another without issue, for different reasons.

Roomba models 6xx and 8xx (e.g. Roomba 675, Roomba 860) do not have any mapping ability, and therefore do not ever “learn” your home layout. This means it doesn’t matter if you move them from one floor to another. Note that the Roomba i6 and Roomba i8 are much newer than 6xx and 8xx Roombas, and both the i6 and i8 do have mapping and smart navigation.

Roomba models 960 and 980 do have mapping built-in. But every time they perform a new cleaning cycle, they will make a new map of the layout. In other words, these Roombas do not save or store the mapped out areas (at least the current software does not), so moving it to a different story of the house would not confuse it.

Roomba models that start with i, s, or j. (e.g. i7, s9, j7) also have mapping built in. It is able to memorize up to 10 floor plans. When you move it from one floor to another, it will use its internal maps to determine where it is located and clean accordingly.

Does the Roomba resume cleaning where it left off when the battery is low?

Yes, iRobot calls this feature “recharge and resume” and it is available on models starting with the number “9” and the i7 and i7+.

When the robot detects that it is running low on battery, it will return to its dock to charge. After charging, it will go back to where it left off and finish cleaning the entire floor.

Are Roombas Worth It?

The answer depends on how much use you will get out of it. Some people love their Roomba and don’t know how they lived so long without one, others rarely use their robot vacuums.

Roombas are great for maintenance cleaning, but are not currently powerful enough to clean the floor as well as a traditional upright vacuum. If you have pets, a Roomba will probably be worth it for you. The ability to vacuum your floor daily keeps the floor fur-free.

If you are too busy to manually vacuum regularly, the Roomba is probably worth it for you also. Coming home everyday to a freshly vacuumed floor is a great feeling and takes one more item off your todo list.

Why do you recommend the “brushless” models so much?

Robot vacuums are supposed to make your life easier.  It kind of defeats the purpose of getting a Roomba if half the hair on your floor ends up tangled in the rolling brushes. If you’ve tried to manually extract stuck hair from a vacuum bristle, you know what a pain it can be.

The brushless models avoids this problem. When hair does get trapped on these rollers, extracting the hair is easy.

Which Roombas are brushless?

Roombas e5, i7, i7+, s9, and s9+.

Any Roomba with model numbers that begin in 8 or 9.

Is a home Wi-Fi network required for WiFi-capable Roombas? Do I have to download the iRobot app?

No, you do not have to have a home Wi-Fi network to use the internet connected Roombas.

Without a home network (and therefore the ability to use the app), the Roombas will still vacuum (you can just hit the physical Clean button), but you would miss out on the functions that require the iRobot Home app such as scheduling and changing cleaning preferences.

Since the internet connectivity is why some of these robots cost more, I’d recommend going with one of the more basic models if you anticipate not ever having WiFi in your home.

Are any of the older Roombas compatible with the self-emptying Clean Base?

Unfortunately, only the i7 can be upgraded to the i7+ by purchasing the Clean Base addon . The addon includes a special dust bin that is required to interface with the Clean Base. Older models are not compatible. This effectively turns the i7 into an i7+, which is the only self-emptying robot vacuum available today.

So if I have a multi-room layout in my home, should I not get an 800 series Roomba?

It depends on how much human interaction you would want in your cleaning.

If you are on a budget and don’t mind manually picking up the Roomba and placing it in the room you want it to vacuum, any of the 800 series is fine.

But if you want to take a more “hands-off” approach , you will probably be better off with a 960. This robot is able to cover every inch of the floor in a logical and efficient manner.

For the ultimate “set it and forget it” vacuum , the Roomba i7+ and s9+ have all the features of the 900 series in addition to the ability to empty themselves.

Will the Roomba climb over my transition molding or other obstacles?

Yes, most likely it will. Unless the height difference between two areas is very significant (i.e. over 3/4″), all current Roomba models should climb over the obstacle no problem with their 3 inch wheels.

Which Roomba has the most powerful suction?

The Roomba s9+ and s9 have the most powerful suction in the iRobot family. The Roomba i7+ and i7 are a close second. The suction power follows this trend and decreases as the price of the Roomba decreases.

Tip: unless you have very high pile carpet, you probably won’t need the Roomba s9+ or i7+. For example, the Roomba 960 strikes a good balance between price and suction power.

Will the Roomba leave markings on my walls?

Possibly. All robot vacuums will occasionally bump into your walls as they clean, and Roombas are no exception. If your walls/baseboards are easily “markable”, scuff marks will build up with repeated contact over time.

To minimize this effect, Roombas actually decelerate slightly as they approach a wall to soften the impact. If you would like to minimize the impact even further, try taping a strip of cushion/foam to the front half of your robot vacuum. It may not be pretty, but it will keep your walls pristine. Here is a ready-made solution if you are not the DIY type.

How loud are Roombas while they vacuum?

Since they use similar motors and suction technology, the noise levels do not vary significantly between all Roomba models. The noise level depends on the type of surface it is vacuuming.

On hard floors, the Roombas measure 65 to 70 decibels . They are quieter on carpet, measuring about 60 db . For comparison, a normal conversation is also about 60 db.

Although these are quiet by full size vacuum standards, they are not quiet enough for you to sleep while they clean.

How Good are Roombas at Cleaning Corners?

All Roombas have a spinning sidebrush that sweeps dirt into the suction path. In a regular room (where the corners are at 90 degrees angles) there will be a small triangle measuring about 1.5 inches in length where the side brush can’t reach. This means that those corners will never be vacuumed by the Roomba.

In practical terms, this has not caused any problems though, meaning that the corners of my house are clean and I don’t see any dust buildup in the shape of a triangle in the corners.

So the 900 series and the i7 can clean an entire level, but what about the 800 series?

iRobot only guarantees the 960 and 980 can clean an entire level because those are the only models with onboard cameras and visual navigation. They map the floor as they vacuum and do so in more-or-less straight lines. They have also been lab tested to cover up to 2,000 sq. ft.

The 800 series, on the other hand, cleans randomly. It will not clean an entire level if the layout is split into multiple rooms with doors and hallways. Most American homes probably fall into this type of layout.

Where should I buy the Roomba from?

Check out this page dedicated to current Roomba deals .

Which Roombas have “Keep Out Zones”?

The Roomba i7, j7, combo j7,  s9, and their “+” variants have this feature.

How do “Keep-Out Zones” work?

From the iRobot smartphone app, you can draw boxes around areas you don’t want the robot to vacuum.

How does this help? You know that pesky corner under your kitchen cabinet that your Roomba always get stuck in? Draw a box around that area, and your Roomba won’t go there at all, and therefore won’t get stuck anymore.

It’s a way for you to tell your robot vacuum where in your house you don’t want it to go, making the robot work a little smarter (with your help). Setting up keep out zones significantly reduces the likelihood that you will need to rescue your Roomba .

You will know where to draw the boxes for the keep-out zones after spending a couple weeks with the Roomba in your house. It takes a few runs for the robot to map your layout, and a couple more for you to realize where it is likely to get stuck.

So you’re saying now I don’t need virtual walls anymore?

For older models: you still need virtual walls to block off sections of your home since the keep-out zone feature is not available on those models.

For the i7 model and up: Yes and no. For most people, there’s probably no more need for Virtual Walls. The keep-out zone feature takes care of that.

However, depending on how your family uses your home space, virtual walls might still be useful to temporarily block off an area.

For example, if your kids sometimes play in the den and leave their toys on the ground, you can temporarily block off that section more easily with a Virtual Wall. You just turn it on and place it in the den. When the toys are not there, turn off the VW, which is faster than editing the Keep Out Zones in the app.

Which Roomba Model is Best for these Specific Situations?

Hair, pets, and pet hair.

The best Roomba for pet hair is the Roomba j7+. Why? Because it has strong suction for hair and obstacle avoidance to dodge potential messes left by your pet. It is also auto-emptying, taking the tedious task of cleaning the dustbin out of your hands. To top it all off, it’s not as expensive as the Roomba s9+. 

If you do not need obstacle avoidance, the Roomba i7+ and i3+ are also good choices for households with pets.

The best Roomba for carpets is technically the Roomba s9+ because it has the strongest suction power of all the Roombas.

But in actual daily use, the Roomba i3, i7, and j7 will do a more than adequate job on carpet. All three of these robots are equipped with powerful suction and enough features to keep your carpet clean on a daily basis. 

The older reigning champion, the Roomba 980 (no longer sold) lacks many of the features of modern Roombas, like the ability to choose specific rooms to clean. 

Any of the Roombas in this guide will do a good job, but if you have high pile carpet and want the best of the best, the s9+ is your best best.

Hard surfaces (hardwood, tile, marble, etc)

All the Roombas perform similarly on hard floors. Even though the different models claim 5x or 10x suction on their boxes, they all seem to pick up dirt well enough.

Studio or One Bedroom

When it comes to simple layouts, any Roomba in this guide will do. Models starting with a “6”, “8”, or “e” use a pseudo-random cleaning pattern, zigzagging around your home until it covers every inch. The rest are more sophisticated and use a combination of sensors and cameras to map your house. They vacuum big open areas in straight lines, like a human would.

Either method will work for a small space, so the cheaper models are good enough.

Multiple Bedrooms

The best iRobot Roombas for households with multiple bedrooms are the i7, j7, and s9. 

These are the Roombas with select room cleaning and keep out zones , which give you control over exactly where the Roomba should go. You no longer need to use the Virtual Wall accessories to keep the Roomba out of forbidden areas. You can also link the Roomba to a voice assistant like Alexa and tell it which rooms you would like cleaned. These features are very useful in actual daily use.

Multiple Stories

Unfortunately, there is no Roomba that can vacuum two levels in one go. The ability to climb stairs is just too complex for consumer robots with current technology. Some owners have suggested stationing your older vacuums on your upper levels when you get a new one.

Not everyone can afford two robot vacuums though. So until then, you can just pick it up and set it down on whichever level you’d like to be cleaned and press the big “Clean” button in the middle. The Roomba doesn’t care where it is placed, and will vacuum the area in its entirety.

Older Models (May Not be Available Anymore)

Great for most households, great price to value ratio

How is the Roomba 960 Better than the e5? – Visual Mapping + Recharge and Resume

The Roomba 960 is where the upgrades start to get really good. Although it was released way back in 2016, the 960 is still one of the best vacuums in the Roomba lineup.

It was one of the first Wi-Fi enabled Roombas. You can set the Roomba’s cleaning schedule directly from the phone, and also change some preferences  regarding how you’d like the Roomba to clean. The app also has reminders to tell you when the dust bin needs emptying and when the Roomba requires maintenance.

More importantly, the 960 is the first Roomba in this article that come equipped with visual sensors .  These sensors use your furniture and walls as landmarks to create an internal map of your house.

All previous Roombas use a pseudo-random pattern to vacuum, resulting in the haphazard cleaning pattern that makes the Roomba seem drunk. With visual mapping, this Roomba can finally vacuum in a logical manner.

Vacuuming in a pseudo-random pattern is fine and actually produces great results after multiple passes, but it is just much more efficient to vacuum the floor in a logical, line by line, manner. If you have any hint of OCD, the lines traced by the Roomba 960 will satisfy that inner compulsion.

Finally, the 960 is able to automatically recharge when low on battery and resume vacuuming where it left off. This is a big deal because it means that no matter how large your home is, the Roomba 960 will be able to cover it all as long as it’s all on one single level.

It will vacuum as much as it can on its current charge, return to its base to recharge, then continuing vacuuming. This process continues until your whole floor is clean.

Areas needing improvement:

It’d be nice to have the option to self-empty, but considering the price difference, this is our favorite Roomba.

This is the best Roomba model to pick up if you want the best combination of price and features. The technology on the 960 are not just marketing buzzwords but actually result in a great user experience. Our top Roomba pick.

If you made it this far, you are incredible! If you skipped around and scrolled to the bottom, that’s ok too, I won’t judge. Here is the rundown one more time:

👉 The Roomba 694   is good for those tight on budget and don’t mind a random cleaning pattern.

👉 The Roomba i3 has smart navigation, select room cleaning, and brushless rollers, which are very easy to maintain. This one gives you a lot of bang for your buck.

👉 The Roomba i7  has all the features of the i3 plus keep out zones. This is the one to get if you want a good balance of price and features. 

👉 The Roomba j7 or Roomba j7+ might be for you if you have pets. These have obstacle recognition so they will be able to avoid any potential pet waste.

👉 The Roomba Combo j7+ is the j7 with an attached mopping module. You may wish to get this if you have needs for mopping in addition to vacuuming.

👉 T he Roomba s9+ is the most premium robot vacuum on this list. It has the best corner and wall cleaning performance out of all the Roombas on this list. It will empty its own dust bin (and also your bank account).

Cli ck here for all the  robot vacuum deals on Amazon today.

Thank you for reading this lengthy Roomba comparison. Please let me know if you have any suggestions in the comments below. 

89 thoughts on “Roomba Comparison – What They Don’t Tell You”

Thanks for this guide, very concise and informative. We decided to get model 960 because we have a dog and two cats.

Hi Robert, I’m glad you liked the guide. I think you’re going to love the 960, especially with your three pets!

Thanks for this review, I’m at a loss on which to get but this will help narrow it down. Of course one of the ones on my list is the 690 with wifi, any insight on that one?

We will do a write-up on the 690 soon but for now: the 690 is just the basic 650 model with Wi-fi (and therefore smartphone app) capability. This gives you the option to remotely control your Roomba. This feature may be useful for some people but I still wouldn’t recommend it because it’s using the mechanical parts from the 650. The best feature of Roombas over other manufacturers is the rubber roller, so I’d recommend that you go for one of those models. (800 and above). Hope that helps.

I still have my 440, but room barriers are not working. Do you think it’s worthwhile to ramp up to the 960?

The 440 does not have the improved suction, brushless rollers, and cameras (which allow purposeful cleaning patterns) of the 900 series.

Out of all these features though, the most drastic difference you will notice is probably the ease of clean up if any hair gets stuck in the rollers – you just pull it right out. If this appeals to you, then I think the upgrade will be worthwhile.

Theres an offer on amazon prime day for model 652. Is that any good?

The Roomba 652 is basically the same as Roomba 650, except that it has a lithium ion battery instead of a Ni-Cd battery. We usually recommend the Roomba 860 as the budget pick since it’s the cheapest Roomba with “brushless rollers”, which saves a lot of time. The 650 is still ok if you don’t mind periodically cleaning out the hair with the included hair extractor tool.

Hi there, nice overview of the current models! I am thinking about buying the 960 or 980, but these models are already 2 years old. I could not find any information on new models coming any time soon, did you come by any such information?

Hi Andries,

There are two new models released this year, the Roomba 690 and the 890. They are upgraded versions of the 650 and 860, respectively. The main difference between the new models are the old is the addition of Wi-Fi connectivity and the ability to link to the iRobot HOME app. This feature is already present on the 960 and 980, therefore we still recommend the Roomba 960 as being the best bang for your buck.

This review is the BEST. Thank you so much! because of it, I just finished placing an order for the Roomba 960. Read some of your content to my very-skeptical husband (naturally, because of the price), and he is also sold. Next up, to get the Roomba mop or not? Hmm…

Thank you for your kind words Jamlen, we hope you will love the 960 as much as we do. The Braava dry/wet mop is not as universally loved as the Roomba because of a few quirks, you can read our article on it to help you decide. 🙂

I was told that you cannot move a Roomba from one floor to another in a two story home because it gets confused and can only memorize/map one floor. Is this true? I also have a family room that is one step down from the rest of our first floor. Can I move it to my family room without it getting confused?

Hi Vanessa, this is a great question. Roombas will not get confused no matter where you move it, this is because they do not save the layout of the house and re-maps the floor every time a new cleaning cycle is started.

Thank you so much for this review! I was so confused by all of the models and this was just the breakdown I needed!

I have two issues that are causing my delay in purchasing my first Roomba… First, I have an open spiral staircase in a 4 level home overseas. It would sure be terrible if I bought a Roomba only to come home to it tattered in my basement… Can I use the 800 model with the barriers to do. one floor at a time and place the little barriers to stop it from going under the stairs and tumbling down? And second, any recommendations on purchasing a 220 volt for Europe? Thanks!!!!!

All of iRobot’s vacuums have “cliff sensors” built in so that they will not drive themselves off a ledge. Therefore you can indeed use a model from the 800 series to clean one floor at a time. You do not even need to use the Virtual Walls–those are designed to keep the Roomba out of areas you don’t want them to go. Of course, if you still feel unsafe, you can err on the side of caution and use the barriers as extra protection, it might just be a bit tedious to keep moving the barriers and the vacuum.

To answer your second question, iRobot has two variants of their Roomba chargers, so there is no way to be 100% sure if the model you buy will work with a 220v outlet. Here is a link to iRobot’s official answer .

First off, thanks for this great guide, it helped narrowing my choice down to the 900-series. One simple question that I seem to find no answer to anywhere on the net tho;

– What is the difference between the Roomba 960 and the Roomba 966 ??

The 966 seems to have been released later but I can find no infomation about the differences anywhere and I am pondering on which one to get now. Please advise and thank you in advance!

As far as I can tell, the Roomba 966 is the same vacuum as the 960, just numbered differently for regional purposes. If I’m not mistaken, the 960 is available in the US and other markets while the 966 seems to be specific to the UK and Europe. Hope that helps!

Hi, what about the Roomba 870 model ? Comparisons to the 860 and 880 ? Thanks!!

Here are all the differences between the 880 and the 870: 1. You do not get a remote control with the 870. You do with the 880. 2. Different Virtual Wall models – the 880 comes with a slightly upgraded virtual wall. 3. The 880 is more expensive.

Otherwise they are pretty much identical. If you’d like more details, there is a review comparing the Roomba 870 to the 880 here .

I am one of those fortunate people to own two Roomba’s because I have two homes so I don’t have to carry them back-and-forth and I love both of them they are both in the 900 series. My question is when will you make a Roomba that will go up and down the stairs that would just be great!

Also, i’m now looking at your floor mopping machines our home at the lake is new and has new hardwood floors our home in town is very old and has very old hardwood floors and I am concerned that the mopping machine will not be good for the old hardwood floor‘s what do you think has anyone used them on the wood floors in a home that was built in the 30s?

Before you think I am a little too spoiled I have five fused titanium discs in my neck, Fibromyalgia and arthritis with discs in my thumbs. My husband calls me a medical miracle. So getting these little machines has made such a difference in my life you’ll never know.

We actually don’t make the Roomba, or any product we review here, but I also wish that iRobot (the makers of the Roomba) would hurry up and come out with a robotic vacuum that is able to climb stairs! Unfortunately, I don’t think that will happen any time soon. Consumer robotic technology is advancing rapidly, but not there yet. Stair-climbing introduces a new set of engineering challenges that is just too difficult (today) to tackle on a consumer level.

We use the Braava floor mopping robot in our home, which also has hardwood. There have been no damage to the hardwood, but our floors were installed in the 90’s, not the 30’s as your floors were. The way to think about the Braava is that it is just a “Swiffer pad pusher”. If your hardwood floors can handle someone manually wiping it with a Swiffer mop, then there shouldn’t be any problems with a Braava.

We are super glad that these machines have been able to make a difference in your life. Although we don’t make the products, we care deeply about robotic technology and the improvements it makes in our lives. 🙂

Thank you for this informative and insightful review! Hugely helpful to me as no one in my family owns a Roomba or any vacuuming robot up to now. We are considering our first purchases this Christmas and your article has really helped me narrow it down given our budget. Thanx again!

I have the Roomba 960 and it’s not able to go from hard wood floor to area rug. Does the Roomba 980 have a higher lift that can move onto the area rug? We have to manually put the Roomba on the rug, but it can’t get off on its own. Thank you!

The 980 and 960 have almost identical wheels. If the 960 can’t make it up onto a particular area rug, the 980 most likely won’t be able to either. Hope that helps. For the benefit of other readers, how thick is the area rug in question?

My home has multiple levels (not huge, just poorly designed). I originally purchased the 960 based on this review and was happy with it. Got tired of moving it around though. The 980 came on sale for $50 more than the 980 so I grabbed one. I can tell you it does a significantly better job on carpet than the 960. Here’s my unscientific test. After about a week of daily vacuuming the amount of lint and hair in the vacuum goes from a “holy crap” amount to a small amount. One day, after they were both running for about two weeks in their normal locations, I swapped the 960 for the 980. The 960 was getting just a very small amount of lint and hair for about a week after its initial week or so of large amounts. On its first day in the 960s original location, the 980 picked up a “holy crap” amount of lint and hair.

Hi Scott, your experiment is as scientific as it needs to be in a home setting. 🙂 Glad to hear that the 980 is outperforming the 960 in your home. At its normal price premium over the 960, the 980 is still quite expensive and I feel the 960 will do a good enough job. But you are right in that the 980 wins on carpet and is probably the best robot vacuum on the market to date. Thank you for the mini-review!

I’m interested in the 960 for the recharge and resume and cameras. We do not have internet available, only hot spot off our phones, will these features still work without WiFi?

The Wi-Fi capable Roombas will still work without WiFi, minus a couple features. The recharge and resume feature and the camera mapping feature are not affected by not using WiFi. Hope that helps!

Great review, very helpful. I will be buying a 960 . Thank you

Love your reviews on the Roomba. I’m ordering a 960 but I’m still not sold on whether I should get the 960 or 980. I’ve got two cats and the main area of the house is laminate, but the bedrooms and office are carpet, which I’m planning on changing at some point. Is the carpet boost really worth the extra cash, especially since I don’t plan on keeping the carpet forever?

Hey Mike, thanks for the kind words.

If you are planning on changing the carpet in the future, I would probably just go with the 960. The savings can perhaps go towards making a dent in the remodeling budget, which are expensive!

So do any of these robots come with feces detection?

Nothing better, then when your cat (or dog) misses their “unloading station”, and drops some on the floor nearby while you’re gone, and the irobot is running… Only to return to your entire floor polished with some liquid, chocolate, grit…

I’ll never forget having to rip apart my 5-series for a 2 hour cleaning session of pure disgust… I’d love to know if the cameras were being tuned to account for this, as I know I’m not the only victim here…

Yikes! I’m sorry to hear that you are one of the unfortunate owners who experienced a Roomba “poopocalypse”. Unfortunately, the the answer to your question is that no, the software onboard even the highest end Roombas are not able to detect and avoid the liquid chocolate you are referring to. In fact, none of the robotic vacuums on the market have that feature. One of the problems is that the cameras are angled upwards, not toward the ground. (Only sensors are aimed at the ground.) Hopefully this feature will be patched into existing models or be incorporated in a new model. But as of right now, there’s no such feature.

What a great site. We couldn’t tell which Roomba to get even after doing some research (didnt find this site) and got the 650 because of cost (and we didn’t think Wi-Fi connection achieved much). We use it in one room only, which we spend most of our time in and where we have a couple of cats. It picks up all their hair and I don’t mind cleaning it from the bristles afterwards (Its therapeutic and quick because it doesn’t tangle up much). I came to this site because I was wondering why it seems to move around so randomly (now I know). I think it is particularly funny that it has no regard for the cats whatsoever and they have to jump out of its way when it approaches!

The Roomba is both friend and foe to cats, Steven. Thank you for the kind words!

Hi! I am trying to decide between the Roomba 980 and the Roomba 960. I’ve always had carpet in most of the house until the flood of Hurricane Harvey. I have 2 large Yellow Labs and 2 cats and living in a house with concrete floors (until carpet and vinyl plank will be installed) and yellow tumbleweeds are running rampant every day! This is a 1 story, 2 bedroom home. Any advice would be so welcomed. Thank you.

Hi Lucy, given your particular situation, the main difference between the 980 and 960 for you is that the 980 has stronger suction overall and carpet boost (stronger suction on carpet). Since there’s quite a large price difference, I think the 960 will do a good enough job unless the carpet you’re installing will cover most of your living space. Hope that helps!

Thank you for this excellent comparison and I have ordered my 980…I’m not too happy about the higher price but hoping it will work itself out with the time saving I hope to get with a furry critter(dog) in the house…A friend who also has a Roomba has all good things to say except for it not getting the dirt in corners…any opinions on that?

Your friend is right in that the corner doesn’t get cleaned because the spinning sidebrush is not long enough to reach a 90-degree corner. In my experience this has not presented a big problem in practical use though. Hope that helps!

Hi: We would like your recommendation on which Roomba to get for elderly parents. No pets, all carpet, one level, two bedrooms, living-dining room, kitchen and two bathrooms. Would have help in set up but no wi-fi and no smart phone. You have the best comparisons I have seen and many thanks for your help! Bill Madison, Ks

Thank you, kind words from readers like you are what motivate us to continue writing these reviews! Please see below for my recommendation for a breakdown of your setup:

To sum it up, get the 860 (budget option, random navigation) or the 960 (premium pick, more efficient navigation). Both are easy to maintain.

Hi, Thank you for this detailed comparison. I am from Canada and I have been researching robots for a while (since we got our 4 legs family member), even I dont have the budget I am thinking about Irobot roomba 960 or Neato botvac Connected. I love the 960 because of the brushless cleaning but Neato’s D shape looks like the best corner cleaner. We have a 2 level house, only hardwood and tile. the main concern is the dog hair. Also my son is allergic to dust mite. I would really appreciate it if you coul help me to decide. And I will keep searching everyday to catch a deal for the model I will go with.

Thank you and kindest regards, Gozde

The Botvac Connected is a great vacuum. You are right that its D shape is great at cleaning corners.

If budget is a concern and you don’t mind cleaning hair out of the rotating brushes, waiting for a deal on the Neato is the way to go. Hope that helps!

Thanks for the review; especially the focus on the hair getting stuck in the brushes. I have long hair that gets everywhere so one of those models would be a real problem.

Excellent review! Thanks so much! I will be on the lookout for any deals on the Roomba 960 this Black Friday. Thanks again!

Thanks for your wonderful article! Our faithful series 500 Roomba has finally bit the dust, so after reading this we have decided to get an E5 series. Our house is always full of people, so we have been running our 570 Roomba only late at night, after picking up all the kids toys etc. We like to wake up to clean floors. We primarily use it in the kitchen, dining, and living rooms, which are on a different level from our bedrooms so we don’t hear it. The kids rooms always have too many toys and things on the floor anyway, so we manually vacuum them. Don’t want the camera because we don’t want to have to leave the lights on for it to see. The larger, washable collection bin and longer battery life appeals to us.

THANK YOU for this breakdown! I’ve had an old 551 that’s started to give up the ghost, and it’s high time I replaced it. Having a Roomba has been life-changing; as a bachelor I’m usually too busy to keep up with the vacuuming, and I didn’t realize how damaging to my health that was til I took a chance on a used one. One note you could add: the retailer code modifications. Best Buy, for example, seems to change the “0” to a “5”. Not a complaint though, this guide is basically perfect with its focused explanations. Poor 650 though, what did it do to your ancestors? 🙂

Thanks for explaining the differences. It makes it a little less confusing deciding on which roomba to get!

Hi! I am very interested in getting a Roomba, and found your website to be the best comparison and easiest to use in deciding which Roomba is best!

I just moved into an apartment with vinyl plank flooring. The manufacture just said not to use a vacuum cleaner with a beater bar, because they can scratch the floors. With Roombas rubber extractors, should I be safe from scratching the floor, since they are not actual bristle brush beater bars? (I did ask the manufacturer point blank this same question and they completely ignored that part of my question.)

Thank you so much for your help, your time, and the information!

We have hardwood floors in our condo and have not noticed any visible damage from regularly using the Roomba. Unfortunately we’ve yet to try using the Roomba on vinyl flooring. Wish I could be more helpful!

Hi Roger, Thank you for the great guide. I cannot afford the best of the best the i series 7 and 7plus, but if I purchase a 980 will I have a vacuum that’ll do a great job. I’m visually impaired and my wife does enough cleaning as she owns a cleaning service. I’ll vacuum the condo when she doesn’t have the vacuum, but sometimes I miss things. Will the Roomba suck up objects that a traditional vacuum will not such as popcorn, cereal, things that a traditional vac will push out of the way instead of sucking up. We have mostly carpet, but not high pile. My landlord’s too cheap I think lol although we have a very nice condo, but I need a roomba that can handle the abuse a family with kids gives carpet. Should I get the 980 or 960, or am I doing myself a disservice by not buying an i7 or i7plus? Thanks Marshall

Hi Marshall,

For things that traditional vacuums push away, like large pieces of popcorn, all robot vacuums will also most likely push away. Smaller items such as a Cheerios will get sucked up by the Roomba (and most other robot vacuums).

In your case, I would recommend going with the Roomba 960. Both the 960 and i7 are great vacuums but you can save so much money by going with the 960 right now, especially if there’s a sale.

My mom want one, but she doesn’t have wifi. Is that a problem. Which would be best for her?. Thank you

Wi-Fi is not a strict requirement for any of the Roombas. If you get a wifi capable Roombas but use it without wifi, you just won’t have the ability to schedule cleanings or change preferences.

Since it sounds like your mom won’t have Wi-fi installed, any of the non-connected Roombas will do (for example, the 880 or the 650).

Amazing review, to the point and clear. Thank you!

For people with short hair/no pets, is 650/675 still a bad choice? Current black friday deal has 675 for $200 and the cheapest I have seen 960 come down to is $360 for a deal that lasted minutes. That’s a pretty steep difference.

If long hair/pet hair is not an issue, the 650/675 is the way to go at that price.

The only slight downside is that the cleaning pattern on the 600 series is pseudorandom, so it’ll take longer to finish the job.

Other than that, you save a bunch of money since you don’t have any long hair to untangle from the rolling brushes.

Great review Kevin,

We live in Arizona and have mostly Travertine floors (which has places/spots that are indented and capture dust and dirt) with a few area rugs. We live in a one story home with 3 bedrooms and 2 bathrooms (approx 2000 sq feet). There are only 2 of us and we do not have any pets, however it is very dusty here! I am trying to decide if the 960 would be sufficient or if bumping up to the i7 is worth the extra money? I like the option of having it clean only certain sections if need be. We have 3 separate doors, and the dirt seems to track in there more frequently. I really like the i7, but its hard to justify the cost if the 960 would work fine for my purposes. Any thoughts?

You hit the nail on the head. The i7’s benefits are exactly as you described.

The decision comes down to whether you weighing the convenience of being able to specify which rooms to clean against the price difference.

If I were in your situation, I’d probably go with the 960 to save some money. Even though you won’t be able to specify which room to clean, it’s not any extra work for you. The only difference is that it cleans every room and takes longer.

Thank you for this great review, Kevin! It helped me quickly rule out the 690 model, which I had initially set my sights on.

I’m now trying to decide between model e5 ($599 here in Canada), model 960 ($699) or this mysterious model e6 (e6198), which only costco seems to carry here in Canada at $489, and is not even listed on the Canadian iRobot site. The US site lists it as “only available at select retailers”. I wonder if this is a store-specific model for costco?

If I were to choose between the e5 and 960, I’d totally spend the extra $100 to get the 960. However, with the e6 being $210 cheaper and the few reviews and forum posts I found saying that it’s as good as the e5, or even slightly better (one review says the e6 has a washable bin while the e5 doesn’t), I’m stumped.

I live in a single-level 2 bedroom 900 sq ft apartment. I wonder if the mapping and resume features of the 960 are really worth the $210 premium given my floor area, or if the random pattern of the e5/e6 would do just fine to cover the whole place. Any thoughts?

Thank you! Rob.

The answer comes down to when you will run the Roomba. If you plan to schedule the Roomba to clean only when you’re not home, then the e6’s random cleaning will probably suffice. It’ll take forever to clean your entire floor, and you may need to move it to specific rooms that you want cleaned (because it might never randomly get there on a given day). But since you’re not home, it won’t really matter.

If you plan to run it while you are in the house sometimes, I’d go with the 960 since its linear vacuuming pattern makes a big difference in efficiency.

Hope that helps!

Thank you so much, Kevin! Yes, the plan is to schedule it to run when I’m at work, to avoid the noise.

BTW, I also sent an email to iRobot to ask about the e5 vs e6. They responded very fast! It turns out the e6 actually has a couple extra features over the e5, namely an extra optical dirt sensor on top of the piezoelectric sensor, and also two virtual walls. Add to that the fact that it’s $110 cheaper here in Canada and dropping the e5 out of my list is a no-brainer. I’ve been mulling over the 960. It’s an amazing machine, but I just can’t justify the $210 price premium right now. I’ll start with the e6 and perhaps upgrade to the i7 in a few years when its price goes down.

Thank you again for all the work you’ve put into this review and this whole site!

That’s a great plan Rob, and thanks for sharing that information with everyone, I’m sure other readers will find it helpful.

So, after going back & forth for a few days, I decided to bite the bullet and get the 960, since I’m a nerd and I *NEED* that nifty feature that shows a nice cleaning map of my place in the Home app 🙂 I’ve bought it from a store that offers a 1 year price protection (against their own discounts as well as those of competing retailers), so if the price goes down (which I noticed that it did last year at certain times all the way down to $530), I’ll get some $$ back. But even if I don’t get a discount, I love this thing! And now I see your point that the camera feature is totally worth it. I love how neatly it travels through my apartment compared to the chaotic patterns I’ve seen with my friends’ robots. And I even got to experience the recharge & resume feature, which I think is awesome as well. I’ve scheduled it to run 3 times a week while I’m at work.

The one thing that I need to fix now is the ~2cm (0.8″) threshold in the bathroom doorway. It is barely tall enough for the front bumper to hit it and the Roomba to turn around. I need to craft some small ramps on either side to ensure that it can go in the bathroom (where my cat’s litter box is, so I definitely need it to clean in there).

Thank you again for your guidance! I’m really happy I listened to your advice and got this model! 🙂

So glad you’re happy with the 960! Your experience with the advanced navigation, recharge & resume, and clean map are the exact reasons I recommend the 960. Thank you for sharing your experience with everyone!

Thank you for this information! It was so helpful!

Thank you so much for such a great review! This is what iRobot should have displayed on their site! SO much clearer now!

Thanks so much for your evaluation and recommendations. All these different models were deterring me from purchasing a Roomba. You simplified it and clearly assessed the pros and cons! Roomba should really be thanking you. We’ll see what my kitties think of it.

Thanks! awesome comparison. Saved lots of time.

HI Kevin, thanks for your concise summary and comparison and evaluation of the many different iRobot models. It was most helpful to read and have found it much easier than bobbing around on the internet to get individual write-ups. We currently have a model 780 and have been very satisfied with it over the years. Lately however out 780 is having difficulty transitioning from the laminate flooring to the area rug in our L.R. So we are considering upgrading and moving the 780 down stairs permanently, which is all carpet. We are leaning towards replacing it with the S9 model because of it’s advanced features and suction power. I agree with your assessment that it is overpriced especially for us here in Canada.

Not sure if you have taken a look for comparison purposes at the Dyson’s Heist 360 as compared to the S9. I would be interested in your thoughts if you have.

Thanks again for your efforts in putting together this summary.

Thank you for your kind words.

I am a big fan of Dyson’s vacuums, but their robot vacuum (Dyson 360 Eye) just doesn’t seem up to par with the rest of their products. I think the main problem is the software. The navigation and accompanying app both don’t work very well.

iRobot has a lot more experience in the robot vacuum space and therefore more trust. If you are trying to decide between the 360 eye or the S9, I would recommend going with the S9.

I bought my iRobot Roomba from QVC model 685. I found that is makes the carpet look better and does better than on the hard woods but has problems with changing heights with area rugs. I haven’t found a review on this model. Then because my house is an older larger ranch home I got a model 805 and use it in the main larger living areas. I don’t see the 805 with any mapping abilities and will spend hours in the same area and never go through a door way to the next room. I use a virtual wall to keep the 2 areas separated for the two different machines. Is there anything you can do to help me compare these 2 machines. The 685 has not caused me any problems with the brush and one roll roller vs the 2 rollers on the 805. Thanks, Doris

It sounds like the virtual wall is preventing your Roomba 805 from ever leaving the starting area. Try removing or turning off the virtual wall and see if it will go through the doorway to the next room.

The 805 indeed does not have mapping abilities (and neither does the 685). They navigate by randomly turning and vacuuming until they bump into something, then repeat the process until the area is cleaned.

The guide is extremely helpful as the field of robotic vacuums is vast, and there are so many models of IRobots. That said, when I decided to purchase the E5 model the two main reasons were that I wanted the brushless design as well as the virtual wall. What I found when ordering was that the virtual wall did not appear to be included with the E5 model as shown in your comparison table above at any of the e-commerce sites. I verified with Customer Service at IRobot that the E5 does not include the virtual wall, but is compatible if one chooses to purchase it as an accessory (~$59.95). Perhaps this is a recent change, but something to be aware of.

Thank you for your thoughtful comment! I’ve corrected the mistake in the table. I do think it is a recent change, and the table has been updated to reflect that.

This guide was brilliant. Our old roomba 563 was beginning to “die” and we needed a replacement. I went online to look for a new model and it turned out there were like 800 different. Your review saved me a lot of time and I have confidence that I will find the roomba that suits our need. Thanks a lot 👍

Hi, thanks for such a helpful overview. We currently have the Roomba 980, purchased off Amazon in March 2017. It is constantly getting stuck partway under our living room sofa, and if not there, then under the kitchen cabinet…at which point one of my cats (who I love even more than a cleaning robot), promptly pees on the stalled Roomba. I then dutifully clean the Roomba as best I can in every nook and cranny I can access with q tips and rubbing alcohol (and the top of the Roomba has lots of places for liquid to run, unfortunately). This has gone on for two years, but earlier this week, my Roomba decided enough was enough, and while it still appears “alive,” it won’t run. I am already missing it, and wondering if Roomba technology has improved in the last two years to avoid places where it always gets stuck (instead of racing back to them to resume cleaning), or even better yet, if any attention has been devoted to improving the design to withstand liquid spills.

I’m sorry to hear that your cat has taken a liking to your Roomba that way!

Unfortunately, while the newer Roombas like the i7 and s9 have better algorithms, they are not immune to the problem you described. They are also not any more water resistant than older Roombas.

One possible DIY solution is to buy some 3M command hooks and stick them on top of your Roomba. The hooks will hit the bottom of your cabinet and not let the Roomba proceed further, thereby preventing it from getting stuck. The obvious downside to this is you will have to manually clean under your couch and cabinets where the Roomba can’t reach.

If you do this, let us know how it goes!

Thanks for all of this information. We currently have a E5 roomba and was thinking about getting another one for the other half of the house until I found the information on your website. I have now purchased an I7 today from amazon while on sale for $499.00. I can’t wait to see the difference between the two.

I have heard that roombas leave marks on cabinets, moldings and walls. Is this a common problem with the Roomba product in general or is this condition common to all robot vacuums. I am interested in purchasing the 960 but having just completed a kitchen renovation and first floor painting, I would like to know if theee negative comments are true.

Great question, I updated the article to answer it.

To summarize, all robot vacuums have this issue, but taping some type of cushion to the front of your machine will “soften the blow”.

Thank you for the detailed write up. It helped a lot.

You said the 8xx did not have mapping capability. Some readers might attribute this statement to the 8i+ which does do mapping. Otherwise, thank you for the outstanding analysis and information.

Thank you for pointing out this potentially confusing paragraph!

I’ve updated it to clarify that the i8+ does indeed have the ability to map.

Thank you for a very precise and easy to understand review of the various Roomba products. So much better than all the other reviews I have read before this. Please keep up the great work

Thank you for your kind words, Suren!

So I have the S9+ and Roomba mad a flaw building mine and won’t admit it. My S9+ stopped having any suction after about a year. When I picked it up it made a rattle noise. When I looked further the fan for suction disintegrated in it’s little space. After about two weeks of arguing with them they sent me a new fan. Within 3 months it did the same exact thing. I had read some other sites where customers had the same issue with this vacuum that costs over $1K. I emailed them and they opened up the case again. The email said they would respond within two days but they never did. Since then I have sent 5 emails asking them to respond to which the have not so far. Basically now it’s a useless piece of garbage and is basically a remote control. The fact they won’t respond is horrible business on them. That tells me they know there is a problem but a company like that is avoiding a recall. It’s a shame too because I saved for this and it didn’t last. I have always cleaned it, changed the filters and changed the brushes. You are taking a huge chance buying this product and the company who makes tons of money does not care about their customers. Money, Money, money! Shameful!

I’m sorry to hear about your bad experience with the S9+ and iRobot’s customer service, I’m sure other readers would appreciate this info!

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The Complete Buying Guide to iRobot Roombas: Every Model Explained

Only one robot vacuum gets to be called Roomba. Whether you have pets or don’t want to empty the dust bin, these are all the Roomba models available.

By Tyler Chin and Johnny Brayson

Editor’s note: Roomba’s Cyber Monday sale is going on now, with up to $400 off robot vacuums! Check out the savings here , and go here for more deals on cleaning, cookware, furniture and more.

There’s only one Roomba out there, and it’s made by iRobot. The brand’s dominance in the early days of robot vacuuming was so complete its name went the way of Kleenex and Rollerblade — a shorthand generic trademark for entire industries.

Founded in 1990 by a trio of Massachusetts Institute of Technology roboticists, iRobot started with the Genghis, an insect-like robot designed for space exploration. Richard Brooks, the designer of the Genghis, and one of the founders of iRobot, wanted to build a robot that could intuitively respond to its environment. As Brooks wrote in the Journal of The British Interplanetary Society, self-learning robots are more effective than humans and could complete missions, like chores, more efficiently.

For a device with a seemingly simple task — roll around the floor and suck up dirt, dust and hair — there are a lot of Roombas to choose from. We broke down each series and model to hopefully help you make a better, more informed purchase from the leading brand in robo-vacuums.

Editor’s Note: Many of the following lines and models have been either discontinued or depreciated (no longer promoted, but available at other retailers), but in an attempt to provide you with the most buying options, we have still included them in this guide provided that they are available to purchase new from trusted retailers.

Products in the Guide

Roomba combo i5+, roomba combo j5+.

BEST ROBOT VACUUM THAT ALSO MOPS

Roomba Combo j9+

• $159.97 at Amazon $274.99 (42% off)
• Year Released: 2020
• Key Features: Three-step cleaning system, Cliff Detect stair avoidance, WiFi connectivity and app/voice control

The 694 is the only 6-series vacuum currently being offered by iRobot on its website — making it the cheapest non-depreciated model in today’s Roomba lineup. And looking at the vac, you’d be hard-pressed to find any differences at all between this model and the 675, as they both offer the same cleaning tech and the same WiFi-connected Roomba OS capabilities. The main difference between the two is their aesthetics, as the 694 is much sleeker-looking and is more in line with iRobot’s other current Roombas — hence why they’re still offering the 694 online.

• $349.00 at Amazon
• Year Released: 2018 (discontinued)
• Key Features: Hair-detangling rubber rollers, WiFi connectivity and app/voice control

Designed for pet owners, the e5 is the most effective budget Roomba for picking up after cats and dogs for one simple design feature: treaded rubber rollers that are especially good at picking up pesky pet hair. Its other standout feature is the filtration system, which the brand claims captures 99 percent of allergens (mold and dust mites). It can be operated manually or via your smartphone, too.

• $274.99 at Walmart $349.99 (21% off)
• Key Features: 10x suction power, smart mapping, iRobot OS automatic updates

The i3 was one of the first generations of Roombas to have been equipped with iRobot OS, a state-of-the-art operating system that allows for features like advanced obstacle detection and smart mapping, along with automatic over-the-air updates via WiFi. It offers ten times the suction power of base models and features Dirt Detect technology that allows it to give extra focus to filthier areas.

• $405.00 at Amazon $549.99 (26% off)
• Year Released: 2020 (depreciated)
• Key Features: 10x suction power, smart mapping, iRobot OS automatic updates, automatic emptying

The i3+ is the same robot as the i3, but it includes in its price Roomba’s Clean Base automatic emptying system. After the robot docks, it empties itself, and you’ll only have to empty the bin once every two months or so rather than every time you vacuum.

• $402.00 at Amazon $435.99 (8% off)
• Year Released: 2018 (depreciated)

The i7 has since been put on the back burner in favor of the more affordable i3, which was released at the same time. The biggest difference between the two is the i7 has more advanced sensors, making it better at obstacle avoidance and smart mapping. Users can also create “Keep Out Zones” to prevent the i7 from buzzing through specific areas (like a thicket of cables). Plus, if you have the Roomba’s smart wet mopping robot, the Braava m6 , you can program the device to automatically power on after the Roomba is finished.

• $575.00 at Amazon $799.99 (28% off)

Again, the addition of a plus to the i7 means you’re getting iRobot’s Clean Base auto-emptying dock, which allows the i7 to empty its own dustbin. If you vacuum every day, the dock can hold up to 60 days worth of dirt. Dirt disposal bags cost anywhere between $15 to $20 for a three-pack.

• $342.00 at Amazon $599.99 (43% off)
• Year Released: 2021 (depreciated)
• Key Features: 10x suction power, pet waste detection, advanced obstacle avoidance, iRobot OS automatic updates

If you’re looking to lose your lunch today, go to YouTube and look for “Roomba pet poop.” (Just kidding. Don’t do it, and take our word for it.) Roombas and other robot vacuums have long been notorious for running straight into pet droppings and spreading them around the home. The j7 avoids this by using PrecisionVision Navigation to avoid obstacles in its way, specifically pet waste, to the point where Roomba even guarantees that the model will successfully avoid any pet waste for a year through their P.O.O.P. (Pet Owner Official Promise) guarantee.

Over time, the robo vac will learn what parts of your home need more cleaning and what floor obstacles to avoid. The j7 also has features like Clean While I’m Away, which uses your phone’s location services to determine when you’ve left your home so it can start cleaning; Quiet Drive, which makes the vacuum as quiet as possible when you need some cleaning but also some quiet time; and Cleaning Time Estimates, to give you a ballpark estimate of how long a cleaning session will take.

• $555.00 at Amazon
• Key Features: 10x suction power, pet waste detection, obstacle avoidance, iRobot OS automatic updates, automatic emptying

Like the i7+ further up the list, the “+” here indicates the inclusion of the Clean Base Automatic Dirt Disposal dock that keeps you from having to empty the j7 yourself every time you use it.

• $599.99 at irobot.com $999.99 (40% off)
• Year Released: 2023
• Key Features: 10x suction power, pet waste detection, advanced obstacle avoidance, iRobot OS automatic updates, automatic emptying, Dirt Detective dirt detection

Roomba’s current top-of-the-line standalone robot vacuum, the j9+ features all of the brand’s most advanced features. It has an auto-emptying Clean Base, advanced obstacle detection, automatic updates of iRobot OS and a new Dirt Detective feature that scans your home and prioritizes cleaning the dirtiest areas first. Roomba also says its the brand’s best vacuum at cleaning entrenched dirt and pet hair.

• $999.99 at Amazon
• Year Released: 2019 (discontinued)
• Key Features: 40x suction power, Power Boost, extra-wide brushes, corner cleaning, iRobot OS automatic updates

The Roomba s9 is still Roomba’s most powerful vacuum, boasting 40 times the suction of the 614, with 40 percent wider brushes and double the runtime. A special five-armed corner brush reaches dirt stuck in corners, brushing it towards the vacuum’s suction. The s9 was also the first Roomba to employ Power Boost Technology, which automatically increases suction when vacuuming over carpet. It’s also shaped differently than other Roombas — it isn’t round — which is designed to better clean edges.

• $755.84 at Amazon $999.99 (24% off)
• Year Released: 2019
• Key Features: 40x suction power, Power Boost, extra-wide brushes, corner cleaning, iRobot OS automatic updates, automatic emptying

It’s the s9, but not discontinued and with the addition of Roomba’s Clean Base automatic dirt disposal dock.

Combo Series

Roomba combo i5 & i5+.

• $349.99 at irobot.com $799.99 (56% off)
• Key Features: 10x suction power, swappable mop, voice control through virtual assistants, room mapping, automatic emptying (on i5+)

Roomba’s new entry-level vacuum and mop combo is closer to 2-in-1 units you see from competing brands. Rather than featuring an integrated mop that senses your carpets and moves out of the way, this Roomba requires you to swap in a separate bin when mopping — meaning you’ll need to move any rugs out of the way when it’s time to mop. It’s still a Roomba though, so you’re getting things like WiFi-enabled room mapping and voice control through your preferred virtual assistant. It’s available in both standard and plus versions, with the difference being the inclusion of an auto-emptying docking base on the latter.

Roomba Combo j5 & j5+

• $42.00 at irobot.com $799.99 (95% off)
• Key Features: 10x suction power, swappable mop, voice control through virtual assistants, room mapping, pet waste detection, advanced obstacle avoidance, automatic emptying (on j5+)

An upgrade over the Combo i5 and i5+, the only real difference here — outside of a slightly more high-end look — is the presence of Roomba’s advanced obstacle avoidance, which is capable of recognizing and avoiding many different common obstacles, like cords and pet waste. Like the Combo i5, it’s available with or without an auto-emptying Clean Base.

Roomba Combo j7+

• $698.99 at Amazon $1,099.99 (36% off)
• Year Released: 2022
• Key Features: 10x suction power, auto-lifting mop, voice control through virtual assistants, room mapping, pet waste detection, advanced obstacle avoidance, iRobot OS automatic updates, automatic emptying

The Combo j7+ was Roomba’s first vacuum-mop combo, and while we’ve seen these types of devices before from other brands, there are a few things about Roomba’s effort that are notable. First and foremost is the mop pad, which retracts onto the top of the Roomba itself whenever the robot senses a rug or carpet, thus preventing the device from dragging a wet pad across a surface that it might damage. It also vacuums and mops simultaneously, and there’s no human interaction needed to switch between the two once you load up its tank with water and cleaning solution. The Combo j7+ also brings you everything you get in the mop-free j7+, including smart pet waste avoidance, automatic dirt disposal, Clean While I’m Away and more.

• $999.99 at irobot.com $1,399.99 (29% off)
• Key Features: 10x suction power, auto-lifting mop, voice control through virtual assistants, room mapping, pet waste detection, advanced obstacle avoidance, iRobot OS automatic updates, automatic emptying, Dirt Detective dirt detection, auto-fill mop, SmartScrub mopping

Roomba’s latest flagship costs a not-insignificant $400 more than the Combo j7+, but it solves pretty much all of the major issues of that vacuum. Its docking base is quieter when emptying (the Combo j7+ is almost comically loud), and it also fills the mop automatically for seven days, making this the most hands-free Roomba ever. It also boasts SmartScrub mopping, making it twice as effective at wet-cleaning messes, and the new Dirt Detective feature.

How to Pick a Roomba

If all robot vacuums were the same, then there would simply be one Roomba model that would suit everyone. But, as you can see from the plethora of models on offer, that isn’t the case. There are a few factors that should be considered before purchasing your Roomba, which are laid out below.

Living Space

The size of your space, along with the type of flooring you have and the amount of furniture you’ve got, all play a role in choosing a Roomba. Different classes of Roomba are capable of mapping and cleaning differently-sized areas, so if you’ve got a huge home to clean, you’ll want to be sure and get a Roomba that has both the mapping capabilities and battery life to handle it. All current Roombas are capable of cleaning both carpeted and hardwood floors and transitioning between them, but some do so better than others. If you’ve got high-pile rugs, for instance, you’ll want something with greater suction power that’s capable of lifting dirt from deep in the rug. Finally, if your space is cluttered with furniture and other obstacles, you’ll probably want a Roomba with smart mapping and obstacle avoidance since it will learn your space, know where to go and ultimately clean more efficiently.

One of the best reasons to get a Roomba is if you have a pet, as their automatic cleaning makes picking up after your shed-happy friends much easier than if you had to do it on your own. But some Roombas are specially designed for pet owners. You’ll want to look for features like obstacle detection that’s tailored to recognizing and avoiding pet waste, along with brushes that are designed for picking up pet hair without getting tangled.

Convenience Level

Generally speaking, the more expensive a Roomba is, the less work it will require from you to get it to clean your home. The most advanced Roombas feature WiFi connectivity so you can control them from your phone or through a virtual assistant like Alexa, smart mapping and obstacle avoidance so they’ll find their way around your home without you having to intervene to pull out an untangled wire and self-emptying bins that keep you from getting your hands dirty — literally. Some even feature built-in mops that you don’t have to manually change out; they can sense rugs and move themselves out of harm’s way when they encounter one.

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Home / Reviews / Smart Home / iRobot Roomba J9+ review: Perfect sucker for pet parents 

iRobot Roomba J9+ review: Perfect sucker for pet parents 

A premium robot hoover that doesn’t disappoint – great for large homes and those with pets.

Stuff Verdict

An excellent robot vac, the iRobot Roomba J9+ is an especially good choice for pet parents.

Deep cleaning

Voice control

Introduction

Hailed as iRobot’s most powerful and smartest robot vacuum yet, the iRobot Roomba j9+ is designed to clean larger homes and those with furry pets. It has a three-stage cleaning system that automatically detects your floor type and adjusts its suction power, sweeping up dust with dual rubber brushes and removing trapped pet hair from deep dish carpets. When the cleaning is done, the robot returns to its sleek looking base, where it empties itself automatically for up to two months.

iRobot has debuted a host of new tech here, including ‘Dirt Detective’ – an automatic mode that prioritises your dirtiest rooms based on past cleaning patterns. Here’s how it got on after a month of testing in a family home.

How we test kitchen and cleaning tech

Every vacuum cleaner, coffee machine and kitchen/cleaning gadget reviewed on Stuff is put through a battery of tests before we give our final verdict and star rating. We use our own years of experience to judge general performance, battery life, ease of use and value for money. Manufacturers have no visibility on reviews before they appear online, and we never accept payment to feature products.

Find out more about how we test and rate products .

Design & features 

I liked the minimal one-button design on the iRobot Roomba Combo j7+ when I reviewed it and was pleased to see it lives on with the iRobot Roomba j9+. A brushed metal finish gives the vacuum a high-end look, as does the leather pull tab for the dock lid that reveals a hidden storage compartment for extra Clean Base bags. The dock itself is pretty sleek. It will fit flush against a wall or is easily hidden under a table.

Set-up couldn’t be easier. After un-boxing you simply plug the dock in, sit the hoover in it to charge, download the iRobot app and configure the cleaning schedule. You’re good to go in about ten minutes. The app is where to adjust all the fine-grain settings, but the simple stuff can be handled by either Alexa, Google Assistant or Siri using your voice. Pairing with Siri was easy and is great for quickly telling it which areas, like “under my desk”, to clean.

The big new addition is Dirt Detective, which lets the Roomba j9+ automate where it cleans based on its job history. It learns where the dirtiest, most travelled rooms are and adjusts its suction, cleaning passes and scrubbing settings to suit. You get a ‘Cleanliness Assessment Map’, in the app, with a room-by-room assessment that might sound OTT, but I found very telling of what rooms I used the most.

Dirty Room Prioritisation can then make the Roomba j9+ prioritise where to vacuum, tackling the higher trafficked rooms first. It quickly learned to clean my office twice, as that’s where my dog sleeps while I work.

iRobot Roomba J9+ pet features 

Testing during moulting season, the Roomba J9+ made easy work of lifting pet hair from deep within carpets. I liked how it could identify what was ahead (iRobot calls this PrecisionVision navigation), so it would steer clear of pet bowls and toys, litter boxes, and – thankfully – pet waste.

My dog isn’t an inside pooper – but if I were getting a new puppy, I’d be pleased with iRobot’s P.O.O.P offering. ‘Pet Owner’s Official Promise’ guarantees a replacement if it ever sweeps over accidental pet messes, which will be real peace of mind for animal lovers.

Importantly, the Roomba J9+ knows to avoid pets themselves as well as all the paraphernalia, so you don’t have to worry when you’ve scheduled a clean and you’re out.

Cleaning performance

I have an average sized three-bedroom home, but with a young family there are always ever-changing things strewn about. I was most impressed with how the J9+ navigated around all of these. We haven’t even lost any Lego. This is important as you don’t want to be worrying about cleaning up ahead of automated cleans.

It made easy work of mapping the upstairs of my home, embarrassingly highlighting the fact my office is the dirtiest room on its Cleanliness Assessment Map. It then created a custom plan that included cleaning the office first, and twice per cycle. I’m also pleased to report that the J9+ hasn’t fallen down the stairs once, despite giving the lip of the stairs a good clean with every pass.

I found the J9+ to be very powerful, especially on high suction, and found my carpets to be as clean as when I put the effort in do them with my Dyson Pet vacuum. As well as full marks for pet hair it’s also made keeping my bedroom carpet free on my own wild hair, which I’m currently taming with the Dyson Airstrait , look easy.

iRobot Roomba J9+ verdict 

I struggled to find fault with the iRobot Roomba J9+. It looks smart, is intuitive to use, and is intelligent enough that you don’t actually do anything after setting up your cleaning schedule. I’ve programmed it to clean when I know I’ll be out, and after a month of testing it hasn’t got stuck or required any attention when I’ve got home.

It has great suction and made light work of my thick carpets. even with my moulting dog. It handles corners very well, and for someone who likes a clean home, it’s amazing I haven’t once felt the need to use my handheld vacuum since the J9+ arrived.

The only thing this model doesn’t do is mop. If you mostly have hard floors, the pricier Combo J9+ will surely be the better choice.

Stuff Says…

Score: 5 /5

The robots are coming – and if they clean like the J9+ then I’m all for it. This excellent robot vac is an especially good choice for pet parents.

Rachael is a British journalist with 19 years experience in the publishing industry. Before going freelance, her career saw her launch websites and magazines spanning photography through to lifestyle and weddings. Since going freelance she’s sloped off to Devon to enjoy the beaches and walk her dog and has contributed to some of the world’s best-loved websites and magazines, while specialising in technology and lifestyle. It was inevitable she would graduate to Stuff at some point.

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Auto-Wash™ Dock Care and Maintenance Instructions

How to care for and maintain the roomba® combo 10 max’s auto wash dock aug 13, 2024 • knowledge, article details.

To keep your Auto-Wash™ Dock running at peak performance, perform the following procedures:

*Replacement frequency may vary. Parts should be replaced if visible wear appears. If you think you  need a replacement part, please contact iRobot Customer Care for more information.

Click each link to learn more about the care process.

4. Reinstall the Debris Bag Drawer and close the door, making sure it is completely closed

IMPORTANT: To achieve optimal performance with your robot and dock, clean and/or replace your robot’s filter as needed.

IMPORTANT: Ensure the latch is properly closed on the tank before reinstalling. Tanks are not dishwasher safe.

Inspect the components to make sure that they are clear of debris. Wipe with a clean, dry cloth.

Press and hold the wheel switches to expose the charging contacts.

After cleaning, the dock will wash and dry the mopping pad. The robot will lower the mopping pad and drive back and forth over the Pad Washing Roller. This process will take several minutes.

IMPORTANT: Do not interrupt the robot while Pad Washing is active. It is normal to hear noises throughout this process as the dock spins the Pad Washing Roller and fills/drains the Pad Washing Basin.

Once complete, the dock will proceed to dry the mopping pad by blowing air.

Note: The drying process will last for a few hours. You may hear a low hum coming from the dock while the dryer is active. Visit the iRobot Home app to manually start or stop Pad Washing and Drying, or to customize pad washing settings.

You can clean your mopping pads in two ways: by handwashing or washing machine .

Handwashing: Thoroughly wash the pad with warm water.

Machine Washing: Wash using the warm cycle, then air dry. Do not put it in the dryer. Do not wash the pad with delicates.

Your Auto-Wash dock will tell you if something is wrong via the LED indicators on the top of the dock. If the dock is not performing as expected, check the iRobot Home app for errors.

Clean Tank LED indicator

Solid red: clean tank empty, missing, or improperly installed.

• Fill the tank, if it is empty, with water or compatible cleaning solution
• Make sure the tank is installed properly

Dirty Tank LED indicator

Solid red: dirty tank full, missing, or improperly installed.

• Empty the tank if it is full

Dirt Disposal LED indicator

Solid red: bag full, missing, or improperly installed; debris drawer improperly installed

• Replace bag if it is full or missing
• Make sure the bag is securely inserted, and the debris drawer is installed properly.

Flashing red: clog in the dock evacuation path

1. With your robot on the dock, hold the Clean button down for 2–5 seconds, or use the iRobot Home App to manually empty the bin

Proceed to step 2 if the error is not resolved.

2. Remove the bin from your robot. Clear any debris from the bin and debris evacuation port. Reinstall the bin.

Push down the debris evacuation port on the dock, and ensure there are no obstructions in the path. Remove any visible debris.

Repeat step 1. Proceed to step 3 if the error is not resolved.

3. Unplug the dock from the wall. Remove both tanks . Place the dock on its side, remove the debris tube access panel, and inspect the tube for debris. If necessary, clear any debris from the tube.

Replace the access panel, and repeat step 1. Contact Customer Care if the error is not resolved.

This product has been equipped with a thermal protector designed to protect against damage due to overheating. If the protector operates, the motor will stop running. If this happens, unplug the unit, allow to cool for 30 minutes, clear any obstructions from the evacuation port and evacuation tube, and plug the unit back in.

For robot care and maintenance, visit  “Roomba® Combo 10 Max Care Procedure Frequency” .

For help with Auto-Wash™ Dock error codes , please visit this article for troubleshooting steps.

Information

• iRobot Manuals
• Vacuum Cleaner
• Owner's manual

iRobot Roomba i3 Owner's Manual

• User manual
• Owner's manual (12 pages)
• Owner's manual (44 pages)
• page of 14 Go / 14

Table of Contents

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• 1 Safety Information
• 2 About Your Roomba
• 3 Robot Vacuum
• 4 Using Your Roomba
• 5 Care and Maintenance
• 6 Irobot Customer Care
• 7 Regulatory Information
• Download this manual

Related Manuals for iRobot Roomba i3

Summary of Contents for iRobot Roomba i3

• Page 1 Robot aspirateur Robot aspirador i3 / i4 Owner’s Guide Guide du propriétaire Guía del usuario...

Page 2: Safety Information

• Page 3 WARNING: Indicates a hazardous situation that, if not avoided, could CAUTION result in death or serious injury. CAUTION: Indicates a hazardous situation that, if not avoided, could • Do not operate the robot in areas with exposed electrical result in minor or moderate injury. outlets in the floor.
• Page 4 BATTERY WARNING • For best results, only use the iRobot Lithium Ion Battery that comes with the robot. • Do not use non-rechargeable batteries. Use only the • Do not open, crush, heat above 176°F: 80°C, or incinerate.

Page 5: About Your Roomba

Page 6: using your roomba.

• Page 7 Home Base™. • When your robot detects an especially dirty area, it will go into • If you are unsure if the robot is finished or paused, consult the iRobot HOME Dirt Detect™ mode, moving over the area multiple times until App to check on its status.
• Page 8 Accessories Choose the mode to meet your needs: Virtual Wall Mode: When the switch is in the Virtual Wall position ( ), the device will create a linear barrier to block openings up to 10 feet (3 meters). Dual Mode Virtual Wall Barrier* ®...

Page 9: Care And Maintenance

• Page 10 Cleaning the Full Bin Sensors Washing the Bin Cleaning the Edge-Sweeping Brush Remove and empty the bin. Use a small screwdriver to loosen the Important: Do not wash the filter. screw holding the Edge-Sweeping Remove the filter before washing the bin. Brush in place.
• Page 11 If the wheel is not with the shape of the brush icons in spinning freely after you have cleaned it, please contact the cleaning head module. Customer Care. For more information, visit global.irobot.com...

Page 12: Irobot Customer Care

Page 13: regulatory information, this manual is also suitable for:, rename the bookmark, delete bookmark, delete from my manuals, upload manual.

• Places - Siberia and the Russian Far East

Russian Far East

The Russian Far East is a region in eastern Russia that includes the territories that run along the Pacific coast and the Amur River, the Kamchatka Peninsula, Sakhalin island and the Kuril Islands. It is a cold, inhospitable and sparsely populated area with stunning scenery, rich fisheries, virgin forest, remote towns, Siberian tigers and Aumur leopards. Sometimes the Russian Far East is regarded as part of Siberia.

Rachel Dickinson wrote in The Atlantic: Russia’s Far Eastern Federal District is huge — 2.4 million square miles, roughly twice the size of India — and takes up one-third of the country, but only 6.7 million people populate that vast space. (The district’s biggest city is Vladivostok — best known for being the last stop on the Trans-Siberian Railroad and home to the Russian Pacific fleet.) Provideniya was once a thriving military town with a population as high as 10,000; today the population is about 2,000. Most of the ethnic Russians have left, ceding the city to the region’s indigenous people. Now the government is struggling to stem the tide of people leaving the desolate Far East. [Source: Rachel Dickinson, The Atlantic, July/August 2009]

The entire Russian Pacific coastline extends for almost 16,000 kilometers (10,000 miles). The formal dividing line between Siberia and the Far East are the borders of the Khabarovsk territory and Magadan region, which extends between 160 kilometers (100 miles) to 1,600 kilometers (1,000 miles) inland from the Russia's east coast. Siberia, the Russian Far East and Kamchatka were largely covered by glaciers during the last Ice Age, which ended about 10,000 years ago. In the Soviet era, the Far East had its share of gulags and labor camps, Maksim Gorky called it " land of chains and ice." Since the break up of the Soviet Union, its people have largely been forgotten. The whole region would probably be forgotten if it weren't so rich in resources.

The Far East only has 6.7 million people and its population is falling. There used to be around 8 million people there. Eighty percent of the people live in the cities but have a strong ties to the land: hunting, fishing or picking berries and mushrooms whenever they get the chance. Some places only exist because the government subsidizes them, providing the people with shipped-in food and cheap energy for heat. In the early 2000s, the government has decided it has spent too much supporting these people and told them they have to move. In some places the people refused to move and the government cut off their water and heat and they still stayed. In recent years thing have stabilized somewhat as more money has flowed in from oil, natural gas, minerals, fishing and timber.

What the Russian Far East lacks in historical sites, old cities and museums — compared to the European parts of Russia and even Siberia — it makes up for with a wide variety of beautiful scenery and adventures. The Amur Rive boast sturgeons the size of whales. In the Primorskiy territory you can find rocky islands, steep cliffs, Siberian tigers and Amur leopards. There are isolated beaches on rivers and the see. If you like taiga, there lots of that along with wild mountains and many places to go hiking, fishing, hunting and camping. On Kamchatka there are dozens of very active 's volcanoes. Further north are some of the best places in the world to see walruses, polar bears and whales. Khabarovsk and Vladivostok are two major cities that define the eastern end of the Trans-Siberian Railway and have plenty of urban activities.

The Far Eastern Federal District is the largest of the eight federal districts of Russia but the least populated. The 11 federal subjects are: 1) Amur Oblast: 361,900 square kilometers, 830,103 people, capital: Blagoveshchensk 2) Republic of Buryatia: 351,300 square kilometers,, 971,021 people, capital: Ulan-Ude 3) Jewish Autonomous Oblast: 36,300 square kilometers, 176,558 people, capital: Birobidzhan 4) Zabaykalsky Krai: 431,900 square kilometers, 1,107,107 people, capital: Chita 5) Kamchatka Krai: 464,300 square kilometers, 322,079 people, capital: Petropavlovsk-Kamchatsky 6) Magadan Oblast: 462,500 square kilometers, 156,996 people, capital: Magadan 7) Primorsky Krai: 164,700 square kilometers, 1,956,497 people, capital: Vladivostok 8) Sakha Republic: 3,083,500 square kilometers, 958,528, people capital: Yakutsk 9) Sakhalin Oblast: 87,100 square kilometers, 497,973 people, capital: Yuzhno-Sakhalinsk 10) Khabarovsk Krai: 787,600 square kilometers, 1,343,869 people, capital: Khabarovsk 11) Chukotka Autonomous Okrug: 721,500 square kilometers, 50,526 people, capital: Anadyr

Traveling in the Far East is troublesome. There are few roads, and they are in poor conditions. Many places can’t be reached by road anyway. Rivers are frozen much of the year. Helicopters can cost as much as US$500 an hour to rent. Corruption is rampant and it seems like everyone wants a cut. Even if paperwork is in order customs officials, police an other authorities demand, sometimes, huge outrageous "fees."

Economics of the Far East

The Far East is rich in gold, diamonds, oil, natural gas, minerals, timber and fish. It accounts for more than 60 percent of Russia's total sea harvest and fishing is the region’s leading industry, providing jobs for more than 150,000 people. People in the Far East should be rich from the wealth generated from fishing, timber and minerals but that is not necessarily the case. In the case of timber, in the early 2000s, local communities were supposed to get 30 percent of the profits but in reality Moscow took 80 percent and local officials took the rest.

In the early 2000s, gas and oil companies could not pay their workers and utility companies couldn’t pay the oil and gas companies and as a result electricity was only on for a few hours a day. Workers were among the last to receive their wages, factories were cannibalized of scrap metal and parts, students studied in sub-freezing classrooms, and people died at early ages. Those that could afford it moved away.

Many foreign companies were equally frustrated. The U.S. wood product giant Weyerhaueser, Korea's Hyundai conglomerate and Australian mining companies arrived in east Russia with high hopes but after some time there either packed up and left or scaled down their staff down to a skeletal crew.

Ussuri River

The Ussuri River forms the border between Russia and China in southern Khabarovsk Krai and . Primorsky Karia. A right tributary of the Amur, it is 897 kilometers long, with a basin area of more than 193,000 square kilometers. The Ussuri River originates in the spurs of the central Sikhote-Alin. Once it descends into it the valley, the river becomes flat and gentle but has a steep rocky coast. In many area there are meandering channels.

Among the tributaries of the Ussuri are: 1) the upper river: Izvilinka, Sokolovka, Matveyevka and Pavlivka. 2) the left tributaries: Arsen'evka, Muling, Naoli River and Songacha River; 3) and the right tributaries: Pavlovka, Zhuravlovka, Big Ussurka, Bikin and Khor.

In Khabarovsk Krai, near the village of Kazakevichevo, Ussuri River flows into the shallow Kazakevichevo channel and after that the confluence of the Ussuri is called the Amur channel. The Amur channel empties into the Amur River in the center of the city of Khabarovsk. The Ussuri is a full-flowing river from May to August. In the summer and when the ice breaks there are frequent floods. Ice on the Ussuri breaks up in April and forms in November. The water is used for water supply. Above Lesozavodsk the river is navigable. Previously it was widely used for timber floating.

The Ussuri River is good for fishing and rich in fish. Gudgeon, crucian carp, common carp, trout, burbot, pike, catfish, flax and grayling are all caught as are Kaluga sturgeon, which can reach a huge size (eight meters recorded in the Amur River). The river is a spawning ground for salmon and chum salmon. In the waters of the Ussuri fish mountain rivers are found near the bottom fish. Mountain fish comes to the Ussuri in the spring to spawn.

Ussuri Taiga and Dersu Uzala

The Ussuri taiga is a forest different from the normal Russian taiga. Located between the Ussuri and Amur Rivers in the Far East and dominated by the Sikhot Alim Mountains, it is a monsoon forest filled with plants and animals found nowhere else in Siberia or Russia and instead are similar to those found in China, Korea and even the Himalayas. In the forest there is s lush undergrowth, with lianas and ferns. Wildlife include Siberian tigers, Asian black bears, Amur leopards and even tree frogs. The Siberian Tiger Project is located here. The 1970 Akira Kurosawa Oscar-winning film “Dersu Uzala,” and the book it was based on, about a Tungus trapper, was set here.

Ian Frazier wrote in The New Yorker: ““Dersu Uzala,” the memoir and narrative of exploration by Vladimir K. Arsenyev, begins in 1902, when Arsenyev is a young Army officer assigned the job of exploring and mapping the almost unknown regions east and northeast of Vladivostok, including Lake Khanka and the upper watershed of the Ussuri River. The name for the whole area is the Primorskii Krai—the By-the-Sea Region. It and much of the Khabarovskii Krai, just to the north of it, consist of a unique kind of Pacific forest in which tall hardwoods hung with vines grow beside conifers almost equally high, and the lushness of the foliage, especially along the watercourses, often becomes quite jungly. [Source: Ian Frazier, The New Yorker, August 10 and 17, 2009, Frazier is author of “Travels in Siberia” (2010) ]

“In Arsenyev’s time, this jungle-taiga was full of wildlife, with species ranging from the flying squirrel and the wild boar to the Siberian tiger. Back then (and even recently) tigers could also be seen on the outskirts of Vladivostok, where they sometimes made forays to kill and carry off dogs. Arsenyev describes how tigers in the forest sometimes bellowed like red deer to attract the deer during mating season; the tiger’s imitation betrayed itself only at the end of the bellow, when it trailed off into a purr.

“The humans one was likely to meet in this nearly trackless forest were Chinese medicine hunters, bandits, inhabitants of little Korean settlements, and hunter-trappers of wild game. Dersu Uzala, a trapper whom Arsenyev and his men come upon early in their 1902 journey, is a Siberian native of the Nanai tribe whose wife and children have died of smallpox and who now is alone. After their meeting, Dersu becomes the party’s guide. The book is about Arsenyev’s adventures with Dersu on this journey and others, their friendship, and Dersu’s decline and end.

“In the nineteen-seventies, a Soviet film studio produced a movie of “Dersu Uzala,” directed by Akira Kurosawa. It won the Academy Award for Best Foreign Film of 1975. The movie is long and slow-paced, like a passage through the forest, and wonderfully evokes the Primorskii country. I own a cassette of the movie and in my many viewings of it even picked up some useful fractured Russian from the distinctive way Dersu talks.

Udegeh: People Who Live with Siberian Tigers

The Udegeh live around the Sikhotealin Mountains in the Far East, also home to many Siberian tigers, and traditionally survived by hunting in the forest. Their ancestors were farmers and members of the Zhurdzhen empire, which ruled parts of what is now China, Mongolia and Russia. In the 13th century, Zhurdzhen was defeated by Genghis Khan and the Mongols and survived in scattered communities in the forest, where they became nomadic hunters to survive and formed their own language and culture, called Udegeh. There are only about 2,000 Udegeh left. The largest group lives in a village called Krasnyr, about 175 miles southeast of Khabarovsk.

The Udegeh live in wooden houses that often have painted gables with images of bears, dogs, devils and pagan goddesses. Their villages are surrounded by forests, and in the winter deep snow. They primarily live on animals they hunt such as sable, mink, squirrel, deer and boar. They often earn what little money they have by collecting wild ginseng in the forest or selling furs.

About 80 Siberian tigers live in the Udegeh hunting grounds. The Udegeh worship tigers, which are considered sinful to kill. One Udegeh hunter told the Washington Post, "The tiger and the Udegeh people are the same."

In the 1920s, the Udegeh were organized into hunting cooperatives by the Soviets. They sold furs to the Soviets and were able to keep their culture alive even though the Communists frowned upon their pagan beliefs and shaman practices. Today most young Udegeh wear Russian clothes and few of them speak the old language. Intermarriage is common and there are few pure blood Udegeh left. In the early 1990s, the Udegeh were involved in a dispute with the South Korean conglomerate Hyundai, who wanted to log the Udegeh's hunting ground.

See Separate Article PEOPLE OF THE RUSSIAN FAR EAST factsanddetails.com

Ussuriisk (kilometer 9177 on the Trans-Siberian, an hour and a half drive from Vladivostok) contains a "Chinese Bazaar" that is more like a separate town. The market operates all night and approximately 2,000 Chinese traders live semi-permanently in metal freight containers near their stalls.

The Museum of History and Local Lore and the famous 800-year-old stone turtle will introduce you to the history of this city. At the end of summer, tourists come to see the city's blooming lotuses. In the winter, you can enjoy a swim in an outdoor pool, surrounded by snowy fir trees. There is a historical park of everyday life and customs of the Russian people called “Emerald Valley” located five kilometers away from the city . Various events are held here, including the celebration of Kupala Night, jousting tournaments, Christmas and Maslenitsa festivities.

Ussuriisk is located near the border with China and North Korea and stands at the confluence of the Komarovka, Rakovka and Razdolnaya. The city was founded in 1866 by Russians from Voronezh and Astrakhan province in East Russia and the Capian Sea area. The town began to grow when the construction of the Trans-Siberian Railway began in the area.

Places Where the Siberian Tigers Live

Siberian tigers today are confined primarily to the Ussuri Taiga, a forest different from the normal Russian taiga. Located between the Ussuri and Amur Rivers in the Far East and dominated by the Sikhot Alim Mountains, it is a monsoon forest filled with plants and animals found nowhere else in Siberia or Russia and instead are similar to those found in China, Korea and even the Himalayas. In the forest there is s lush undergrowth, with lianas and ferns. Wildlife include Siberian tigers, Asian black bears, Amur leopards and even tree frogs. The Siberian Tiger Project is located here. The 1970 Akira Kurosawa film Dersu Uzala, about a Tungus trapper, was set here.

Sikhot Alin Reserve and Kedrovaya Pad Reserve within the Ussuri Taiga are the last homes of the Siberian tiger. The largest wildlife sanctuaries in the Far East, they embrace 1,350 square miles of forested mountains, coastline and clear rivers. Other animals found in Sikhot Alin reserve and Kedrovaya Pad reserve include brown bears, Amur leopard (of which only 20 to 30 remain), the Manchurian deer, roe deer, goral (a rare mountain goat), Asian black bears, salmon, lynx, wolf and squirrels with tassels on their ears, azure winged magpies and the emerald-colored papilio bianor maackii butterfly. Over 350 different species of bird have been sen here.

Dunishenko and Kulikov wrote: “In the 19th century, aside from the Sikhote-Alin and Malyi Khingan portions of Russia, tigers were found in southeastern Transcaucasia, in the Balkhash basin, in Iran, China and Korea. Now the Amur tiger is found only in Russia’s Primorskii and southern Khabarovskii Krais. This is all that remains of an enormous tiger population that formerly numbered in the thousands and that lived mostly in China. In the spring of 1998, one of the authors of this booklet took part in an international scientific study investigating the best tiger habitat remaining in the Chinese province of Jilin. We found three to five tigers there, mostly along the Russian border. Our general impression is that there are no more than twenty or thirty Amur tigers in all of China. [Source: “The Amur Tiger” by Yury Dunishenko and Alexander Kulikov, The Wildlife Foundation, 1999 ~~]

The general area where Siberian tigers lives is called the Primorskii or Primorye, a region of the southeast Russian Far East that embraces Vladivistok. John Vaillant wrote in “The Tiger: A True Story of Vengeance and Survival”: “Primorye, which is also known as the Maritime Territory, is about the size of Washington state. Tucked into the southeast corner of Russia by the Sea of Japan, it is a thickly forested and mountainous region that combines the backwoods claustrophobia of Appalachia with the frontier roughness of the Yukon. Industry here is of the crudest kind: logging, mining, fishing, and hunting, all of which are complicated by poor wages, corrupt officials, thriving black markets — and some of the world's largest cats.” [Source: John Vaillant. “The Tiger: A True Story of Vengeance and Survival” (Knopf, 2010)]

Nezhino (100 kilometers north of Vladivostok, 20 kilometers east of the Chinese border) is used as a base for people who track Siberian tigers. They are particularly easy to track in the winter, if you can initially locate some tracks, when they leave big paw prints in the snow. Tigers tracking tours began being offered in 2005.

See Separate Articles: SIBERIAN TIGERS factsanddetails.com ; PLACES WHERE THE SIBERIAN TIGERS LIVE factsanddetails.com ; HUMANS, SCIENTISTS, CENSUSES AND SIBERIAN TIGERS factsanddetails.com ; ENDANGERED SIBERIAN TIGERS factsanddetails.com ; SIBERIAN TIGERS CONSERVATION factsanddetails.com ; SIBERIAN TIGER ATTACKS factsanddetails.com .

Ussuri Nature Reserve and Lake Khanka

Ussuri Nature Reserve (100 kilometers north of Vladivostok) is specially protected natural area located in the southern Sikhote-Alina range, It is rich in virgin liana conifer-deciduous forests, which have been cut down in other parts of the Russian Far East and the neighboring countries. The reserve is named after Academician Vladimir L. Komarov, a Russian botanist who studied the flora of East Asia. He first gave a description of the area, visiting her in 1913.

The reserve was created in 1932 and since then has significantly increased its area, which now amounts to 4,040 square kilometers. The reserve embraces lowlands and mountains and foot hools formed by the the southern spurs of the Sikhote-Alin (Przewalski Mountains). The average elevation is 300-400 meters above sea level. The highest peaks are 650-700 meters high. There are also mountain rivers in canyon-like narrow valleys and small waterfalls. Summers are warm and humid. Winters are moderately severe with little snow. The coldest month is January (average temperature of -17.9 degrees C). The warmest month is August 19.7 degrees).

The flora of the reserve is composed almost entirely of forest species, mainly those found in cedar-broadleaf forests, which are are characterized by high species diversity and different from ecosystems found in Russia and elsewhere in the former U.S.S.R. A typical plot of pine forests, contains trees, shrubs and vines from 50-60 species. Among the many rare plants and ginseng, hard juniper, mountain peony and Chinese Prinsep

The fauna of the reserve is typical of coniferous and deciduous forests: wild boar, red deer, musk deer, and black bear. Among the birds are common warblers, blue nightingale, nuthatch and grouse. The reserve is home to the largest beetle fauna of Russia: It is interesting that several attempts to "diversify" the species composition of fauna — through the the introduction of sika deer and Barguzin sable — did not work as hoped. Most of the reserve is off limits to visitors. Among the places that one can visit are the rehabilitation center for the education of orphaned bear cubs. Reserve staff tell the story of each bear and describe it character and habits. There is also a nature trail and small museum.

Lake Khanka (200 kilometers from Vladivostok) has an average depth of 4.5 meters and is home to more than 300 species of bird and 75 species of fish. Trips to the lake includes stops at the villages of Kamen-Rybolov and Troitskoye on the west side of the lake and a trip to Gaivoron, near the town of Spassk-Dalniy, where there is a 10,000 square meter open air cage with a family of Siberian tigers. The cage is made of a transparent metallic net. The enclose incorporates the surrounding forest so you can see the tiger is a pretty close facsimile to how they lin nature.

Biodiversity of the Ussuriskii Taiga Forest

Siberian tigers inhabits the Ussuriskii taiga forest, a coniferous broadleaf forest that specifically favors the so-called Manchurian forest type. The Manchurian forests are located in riparian areas and are particularly high in biodiversity. John Goodrich of NPR wrote: “The most bio-diverse region in all of Russia lies on a chunk of land sandwiched between China and the Pacific Ocean. There, in Russia's Far East, subarctic animals — such as caribou and wolves — mingle with tigers and other species of the subtropics. It was very nearly a perfect habitat for the tigers — until humans showed up. The tigers that populate this region are commonly referred to as Siberian tigers, but they are more accurately known as the Amur tiger. "Imagine a creature that has the agility and appetite of the cat and the mass of an industrial refrigerator," Vaillant tells NPR's Linda Wertheimer. "The Amur tiger can weigh over 500 pounds and can be more than 10 feet long nose to tail." [Source: John Goodrich, NPR, September 14, 2010]

Dunishenko and Kulikov wrote: "The range of biodiversity experienced by the early explorers in the Ussuriskii taiga forest is hard to imagine. Read Vladimir Arsenev and Nikolai Przhevalskii and you’ll realize that the region’s present-day richness is but a sad remnant of what was once found here. The fact is, that not all that long ago there was a lot more to be found in our taiga. Old-timers can still vividly recall the herds of deer, numbering in the hundreds, that migrated the lightly snow covered regions of China, the incessant moan in the taiga when red Manchurian deer were mating, the endless waves of birds, the rivers boiling with salmon. [Source: “The Amur Tiger” by Yury Dunishenko and Alexander Kulikov, The Wildlife Foundation, 1999 ~~]

"And my lord, how many wild boar there used to be in the taiga! All winter long, the southern exposures of oak-covered hills were dug up by droves of wild pigs. Snow under the crowns of Korean pine forests was trampled to ground level as wild boar gathered pine cones throughout the winter. A symphony of squeal and moan! Mud caked wild boar racing around the taiga, rattling around in coats of frozen icycles after taking mud baths to cool passion-heated bodies. Horrible, blood caked wounds, chattering tusks, snorting, bear-like grunting, squawky squeaking, oh the life of a piglet.~~

"This was an earlier image of the Ussuriskii taiga. Just 30 years ago a professional hunter could take 60 to 80 wild boar in a season! There was more than enough game for the tiger out there among the riotous forest “swine.” Tigers strolled lazily, baron-like and important. They avoided the thick forests: why waste energy with all the boar trails around — you could roll along them sideways! It was only later on that the tigers took to following human trails.~~

"How many tigers there used to be in the wild can only be conjectured. Southern Khabarovskii Krai is a natural edge of their habitat; at one point in history there was a substantial tiger population that spilled over into surrounding regions. The tiger’s range coincided, for the most part, with Korean pine and wild boar distribution, and the number of tigers in the Russian Far East in the last century was at least one thousand. Tigers densely settled the Malyi Khingan and the Korean pine, broad leaf deciduous forests typical of southern Amurskaya Oblast. Lone animals wandered out as far as Lake Baikal and Yakutiya."~~

Sikhote Alin Reserve

Sikhote Alin Reserve (400 kilometers northeast of Vladivostok) and Kedrovaya Pad Reserve are the last homes of the Amur (Siberian) tiger. The largest wildlife sanctuary in the Far East. It embraces 3,500square kilometers (1,350 square miles) of forested mountains, coastline and clear rivers. Other animals found in reserves include brown bears, Amur leopard (of which only 40 to 50 remain), the Manchurian deer, roe deer, goral (a rare mountain goat), Asian black bears, salmon, lynx, wolf and squirrels with tassels on their ears, azure winged magpies and the emerald-colored papilio bianor maackii butterfly. Over 350 different species of bird have been seen here.

Central Sikhote-Alin was designated a UNESCO World Heritage Site in 2001. According to UNESCO: “The Sikhote-Alin mountain range contains one of the richest and most unusual temperate forests of the world. In this mixed zone between taiga and subtropics, southern species such as the tiger and Himalayan bear cohabit with northern species such as the brown bear and lynx. After its extension in 2018, the property includes the Bikin River Valley, located about 100 kilometers to the north of the existing site. It encompasses the South-Okhotsk dark coniferous forests and the East-Asian coniferous broadleaf forests. The fauna includes species of the taiga alongside southern Manchurian species. It includes notable mammals such as the Amur Tiger, Siberian Musk Deer, Wolverine and Sable. [Source: UNESCO]

Founded in 1935, Sikhote-Alin Nature Reserve covers an area of 3,902 square kilometers, plus and 2.9 square kilometers offshore. The reserve is located in the northern part of Primorsky Krai and includes the eastern slope of the Sikhote-Alin mountain range from its watershed to the coast (including one kilometer of shoreline), as well as a part of the western slope of the mountain range. The maximum elevation in the reserve is 1598 meters.

The reserve was originally established to protect sable populations that were on the verge of extinction. V.K. Arsenyev was one of the initiators of the reserve. K.G. Abramov and Y.A. Salmin substantiated the need to create the reserve. In our age when there are fewer and fewer untouched corners of nature on the globe, The profusion and diversity of the reserve’s ecosystems are attributable to the fact that the park includes different slopes of the Sikhote-Alin, range which differ in natural conditions and elevation. Availability of direct access to the sea is another important factor.

The reserve includes parts of three landscape areas: 1) Terney (cedar broad-leaved forests), 2) Samargino-Dalnegorsky (in the subzone of broad-leaved and coniferous forests) and 3) Mid-Sikhote-Alin (fir and spruce forests) in a boreal coniferous forest subzone. The flora and fauna in the reserve are strongly influenced by the presence of the Sea of Okhotsk: dark boreal coniferous forests are more strongly represented here than in other reserve in Primorye Krai. At the same time, conditions exist for the development of the Manchuria-like ecosystems. A distinctive feature of the flora and fauna in the reserve is the combination of heat-loving and cold-loving natural species. For its long-term research program and achievements in the conservation of the Amur tiger, the reserve was awarded with a CATS international certificate in 2015, becoming the only reserve in Russia (and the second in the world) to receive such recognition.

Traveling by Road Around Sikhote Alin Reserve

Ian Frazier wrote in The New Yorker: ““Rather than continue south, directly to Vladivostok, our ultimate destination, we had decided to turn east again, cross the Sikhote-Alin Mountains, and arrive at the Pacific (technically the Sea of Japan) in a less inhabited place on the mountains’ other side. The Sikhote-Alins, once we were among them, seemed more like hills, and not very forbidding, but the depth and silence of their forest made up for that. Arsenyev had described the taiga here as “virginal, primeval timberland.” From the altitude of the trees and the venerable length of the vines depending from them, I would guess that the taiga we saw was still original growth. That night, we camped above the small gorge of a river named for Arsenyev—the Arsenyevka. The sound of it was pleasant to sit beside; this was our first genuinely rushing stream. I stayed up for a while after Sergei and Volodya had gone to bed, listening to it and looking up at the stars and at the satellites tracking past. [Source: Ian Frazier, The New Yorker, August 10 and 17, 2009, Frazier is author of “Travels in Siberia” (2010) ]

“The next day, we continued winding generally eastward through the mountains. I noted villages called Uborka (Harvest), Shumnyi (Noisy), and Rudnyi (Oreville). Now we were in Arsenyev’s very footsteps. A little beyond Rudnyi, we crossed a mountain pass that hardly looked like one. This was the divide between the waters that flow roundabout to the Pacific via the Ussuri and the Amur, and those which drain down the front of the Sikhote-Alins and into the Pacific directly. At the crest of the divide, back among the roadside weeds, stood a cement obelisk on which was inscribed: “crossed over this pass: m. i. venyukov 1858*; N. M. PREZHEVALSKII* 1887*; V. K. ARSENYEV* 1906.”

Arsenyev’s passage across this divide happened during a mapping expedition guided by Dersu and described in detail in the book. The party continued from here until they came to the Pacific and the port village of Olga, where they were resupplied. Sergei said that we would also aim for Olga and camp near there.

“Often the taiga stood so close to the road that the vines almost touched the side of the car, and on the upgrades we were looking into the canopy. At one point in the movie “Dersu Uzala,” a tiger stalks Arsenyev’s party, and the Siberian tiger used for the scene was a splendid animal, all liquid motion and snarling growls. Though near extinction, the Siberian tiger has not yet been wiped out, and the thought that this Pacific forest—reminiscent in some ways of the American and Canadian Northwest—had tigers in it gave the shadows far back among the trees a new level of authority. I had been in a few forests that held grizzly bears, but a forest with tigers in it seemed even more mysterious and honorable.”

Kedrovaya Pad Reserve

Kedrovaya Pad Reserve (400 kilometers northeast of Vladivostok) is the oldest reserve in the Far East and the southernmost reserve of Primorye. Sikhote Alin Reserve and Kedrovaya Pad Reserve are the last homes of the Amur (Siberian) tiger. The largest wildlife sanctuary in the Far East. Kedrovaya (Cedar) Pad Reserve embraces 178.97 square kilometers (69.10 square miles) of forested mountains, coastline and clear rivers. Other animals found in reserves include brown bears, Amur leopard (of which only 40 to 50 remain), the Manchurian deer, roe deer, goral (a rare mountain goat), Asian black bears, salmon, lynx, wolf and squirrels with tassels on their ears, azure winged magpies and the emerald-colored papilio bianor maackii butterfly. Over 350 different species of bird have been seen here.

Kedrovaya (Cedar) Pad Reserve was one of the first officially organized reserves in Russia. The idea for establishing was raised at the beginning of the 20th century after the Trans-Siberian railway and built nearby and intensive development of the Ussuri region was accompanied by indiscriminate logging, forest fires, uncontrolled hunting. In 1908, the region created the first forest reserves, one of which was on Cedar River. Kedrovaya Pad Reserve, founded in 1916 close to the western shore of Amur Bay. Over time that status of the reserve was improved and the reserve was enlarged. In 2004 UNESCO designated the reserve as a biosphere.

Kedrovaya (Cedar) Pad Reserve is located in the Khasan district of Primorye Territory. The villages of Seaside, Perevoznaya, Cedar, Bezverkhova and Barabash located within a few kilometers of the reserve. . The reserve was established for the preservation and study of natural systems there of liana deciduous and mixed forests with hornbeam and black fir-broad-leaved forests and their animals and plants. The reserve provides shelter for two adult Amur leopard females and their offspring and one male. Among the rare species of insects found there are the excellent marshmallow beetle and Jankowski beetle.

The territory of the reserve is occupied by by two major low mountain ranges — the Gakkelevskaya and Suhorechensky — representing the extreme northeastern foothills of the Black (Changbai) Mountains, which are mainly in China and Korea. The length of the main Cedar River within the reserve is about 15 kilometers. The largest number of tributaries originating from Suhorechenskogo ridge flows into the forest, where many wild boars live. About 73.1 percent of the entire reserve is occupied by forests. The remaining area is occupied by scrub and secondary meadows resulting from logging in the past and especially forest fires.

The forest reserve contains numerous species of trees. The underbrush is represented by various bushes, that often blossom beautifully, such as early-flowering honeysuckle and Weigel, which produces fine-leaved mock orange flowers. Vines entwine tree trunks rising to a height of 30-35 meters. The diameter of the winding vines of wild grapes and the Amur Actinidia Argut reaches 10-15 centimeters. They are like giant snakes crawling from the ground and entangling shrubs and trees.

In places the reserve resembles a rainforest and it does have parallels with the temperate rain forests in coast British Columbia, Alaska and Washington state. Among the many plant species are Manchurian walnut, dimorfanta and aralia, with and velvet, spiny trunks, and several types of ferns. In the crevices of bark and crotches of trees attract epiphyte and small fern called Ussuri centipede.

Zov Tigra (“Roar of the Tiger”) National Park

Zov Tigra National Park(Near Lazo, 150 kilometers northeast of Vladivostok is a mountainous refuge for the Amur (Siberian) Tiger. Established in 2008, the park encompasses an area of 834 square difficult (322 square miles) on the southeast coast of Primorsky Krai. The park lies on both the eastern and western slopes of the southern Sikhote-Alin mountain range.,The relatively warm waters of the Sea of Japan are to the east, the Korean peninsula to the south, and China to the West. The terrain in rugged and difficult to access, with heavily forested taiga coexisting with tropical species of animals and birds. The park is relatively isolated from human development, and functions as a conservation reserve. Tourists may visit the portions of the park marked for recreation, but entry to the protected zones is only possible in the company of park rangers. The park’s name in English means "Call of the Tiger” or "Roar of the Tiger".

Zov Tigra National Park is occupied by Ussuri taiga and is located at the junction of Lazovsky, Chuguevsky, and Olginsky districts. The park covers 1,854-meter-high Oblachnaya mountain, the upper half of the Milogradovka's river basin, and sources of the Kievka River. There are more than 50 mountains more than 1000 meters high. The forest feature giant cedars, specimen trees, slender spruces entwined with gaily-coloured actinidia's lianas, emerald-green clusters of Amur grape and Schizandra brushwood.

Zov tigra was established in part as as a "source habitat" for the recovery of the Amur Tiger and its prey base. A survey in 2012 identified four Amur tigers resident in the park, and four more that visited the protected areas frequently. The base of prey consisted of 1,200 Manchurian deer, 800 Roe deer, and 99 Sika deer and 189 wild boars. These species make up some 85% of the Amur tiger's diet. Brown bears and lynx are relatively common in area. The Far Eastern Forest Cat is found in the broad-leaf and oak valleys. The critically endangered Amur Leopard has not been resident since the 1970s.

Amur Leopards

The Amur leopard inhabits an 800-mile long stretch of evergreen forest in the eastern Siberian taiga near the North Korean border. Named after the river that forms the border between Russia and China, they live in a narrow mountain chain that extends from Hanka Lake in the Russian Far East south to the borders of China and North Korea. It ranges further north than any leopard species, even the snow leopard.

Amur leopards weighs between 40 and 60 kilograms (90 and 140 pounds). They are reclusive, solitary creatures. They eat sitka deer and wild boars. Their numbers have declined as the numbers of their main food source, roe deer, have declined. They also suffer from declining numbers of sitka deer and wild boars. Leopards eat dogs of villagers to survive. Sometimes they are forced to make a single meal last for two weeks. Other times they reduced to scavenging for carrion. It’s winter coat has large spots.

Only 38 to 46 Amur leopard are believed to remain. Twenty to twenty-four in Russia. Fifteen in China and an unknown number in North Korea. They have been hurt by loss of habitat, loss of prey and poaching. Around 30 Amur leopards live in an area which borders China and is 150 kilometers long and 30 kilometers wide. At least 16 live in Nezhinkoye game reserve. This area contains many villages and is crisscrossed by roads, making survival problematic

Environmentalists have trouble securing funds to study the leopards. Most of what is known about them is based on studies conducted at Kedrovaya pad nature Reserve near Vladivostok. The Russian Academy of Science, the University of California and the International Wildlife Congress are studying the leopards using “phototraps”— motion sensitive cameras.

Land of Leopard National Park

Land of Leopard The National Park (200 kilometers west of Vladivostok) occupies 2,620 square kilometers and is located in the Khasansky, Nadezdinsky, Ussuriysky districts of Primorsky Krai as well as in the small area of Frunzenskiy district in Vladivostok. Kedrovaya Pad and Leopardovy reserves and number of other territories, with total area exceeding 2,800 square kilometers are as compounds of the National Park. The national park’s buffer zone covers about 800 square kilometers.

About 30 individual Amur leopards are thought to be living in the southwest area of Primorsky Krai. “Land of the Leopard” national park covers about 60 percent of the natural habitat occupied by the leopards and the main reason the park was set up was to preserve them. Many surviving Amur leopards live In the Nezhinkoye game reserve that is under partial protection of the Russian Pacific fleet. Hunting with dogs and hunting for fur animals is banned in the reserve. Deer and wild boars are fed. Some leopards used to follow hunters in hopes of snatching an easy meal. Work on the world’s longest pipeline — between Siberia and the Sea of Japan — was suspended in 2005 due to ecological concerns, among them the fate of the Amur leopard, whose territory would be bisected by the pipeline.

The “Land of Leopard” is divided into several zones, the smallest of which is a 230-square-kilometer conservation zone that you can’t visit without special permission. Other zones have a simplified visiting regime. Guided trips are allowed in the “specially protected” zone. The 7950-square-kilometer recreational zone allows more touristic activity. The “Leopard Trail” is the first tourist route, developed in the National Park. The 770-square-kilometer administrative zone accommodates villagers and interests of other people living in the territory of the National Park.

Leopardovy Sanctuary

Leopardovy Sanctuary (200 kilometers west of Vladivostok) embraces 1,694.29 square kilometers of the “Barsovy” and “Borisovskoe Plato” sanctuaries in the Khasansky, Ussuriysky, and Nadezhdinskiy districts. The state biological sanctuary “Barsovy” was founded in 1979 to preserve and restore not only the endangered animal species such as Siberian Tiger and Amur Leopard but also their natural habitat. The animal sanctuary “Borisovskoe Plato” was created in 1996 to conserve and increase the population number of Amur leopard; Siberian tiger and other threatened animals.

The sanctuary's natural environment is highly favorable for the forest faun's inhabitation. The low-level mountain ranges deeply dissected with the river valleys, extended rock masses, and plateau-like mountains create mosaic of forest, tree and shrubbery vegetation. Secondary broadleaved forests prevail here. Primary forests with fir trees, cedars and khingam fir remain in the west and northwest part of the sanctuary. The plateau-like mountains are covered with the leafed forest.

Amur leopard is the main protected species here.Siberian tiger, Asian black bear, leopard cat and other animals are also placed under special protection. There are six ungulates species such as Amur goral, Manchurian wapiti, wild boar, musk deer, roe deer, and deer in the sanctuary. Lot of rare vascular plants grows here, some of them such as water caltrop, stipa baicalensis, nepeta manchuriensis are not presented even in the neighboring “Kedrovaya Pad” reserve. More than 150 species of birds nest in the sanctuary and around 100 species traverse its territory or make stopover here during the migration period. It must be stressed that “Leopardovy” sanctuary is the only place of nesting for some bird species in this part of Primorsky krai. 15 of these species are threatened with extinction. Over 40 IUCN Red List insect species inhabit here, what is more some of them occur exceptionally at the sanctuary's territory.

This district has a monsoon climate. Its specific trait is the variability of the airstreams direction in the summer and winter seasons. Plenty of rivers and streams run at the sanctuary’s territory. There are no large lakes. The biggest one, Krivoe lake, covers 11 hectares. All types of hunting, commercial fishery, timber felling, resource development, ploughing the ground, and application of chemicals are prohibited here. Beyond that, public visiting, amateur fishery, and gathering wild harvest are brought under regulation. The sanctuary contains some populated places such as Barabash settlement and military firing range with total area in 3,490 squate kilometers A considerable part of the territory is the border territory separated from the rest of area by the plowed strip.

Image Sources: Wikimedia Commons

Text Sources: Federal Agency for Tourism of the Russian Federation (official Russia tourism website russiatourism.ru ), Russian government websites, UNESCO, Wikipedia, Lonely Planet guides, New York Times, Washington Post, Los Angeles Times, National Geographic, The New Yorker, Bloomberg, Reuters, Associated Press, AFP, Yomiuri Shimbun and various books and other publications.

Updated in September 2020

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Who made it?

Choose your model.

Please choose the model of your trade-in.

How to find it:

To find your Roomba® or Bravaa® model number, turn the robot over.

The model number is printed near the left wheel, on the underside of the robot.

Enter serial number

Please enter the serial number of your trade-in (OPTIONAL).

Your Roomba® or Bravaa® serial number can be located easily, simply by removing the bin. 


With the bin removed, just turn your robot over and look at where the bin was located.

Is this your model?

By clicking 'Yes' you agree to our

Privacy Policy | Trade In Terms & Conditions .

Here’s how to use it:

Add a robot vacuum or mop to your cart today and see the expected trade-in credit applied to your total. You will receive the credit back to your method of payment once we receive the device(s).

If your model doesn’t match the condition described you will receive an email with next steps.